Prince Amukamara has always been treated like royalty.
Growing up with five sisters in Glendale, Arizona, Amukamara rarely had to lift a finger.
“My name is Prince, but I was really treated like a prince,” Amukamara said with a grin. “My sisters took care of me. And we all roughed each other up. They didn’t take it easy on me, even though I was the second-oldest. But we got along.”
It seems fitting he received the noble treatment given the fact Amukamara is actually a Nigerian prince.
Amukamara’s grandfather was the chief of Awo-Omamma, a city located in the southeastern Nigerian state of Imo. That makes the Bears cornerback next in line to occupy the throne if he chooses, though he currently doesn’t have any royal responsibilities or obligations to attend to.
So while most retired NFL players pursue careers in business or broadcasting, Amukamara, a first-generation American, is considering going to Nigeria and assuming his role as chief.
“I’m not counting it out,” he said.
But Amukamara has another aspiration. He discussed that, his Nigerian pride and more in this week’s Chat Room.
Your mother, Christy, competed for Nigeria as a sprinter in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Did she ever push you toward one sport over another?
Prince Amukamara: “I think with Nigerians, it’s more on education. That’s what they press. So any way we can get into college where we could get it paid for free, that’s what they wanted us to do.”
How often are you able to go back to Nigeria?
PA: “With playing football [and] with how the season is, it’s tough. But the last time I went was 2013 for my sister’s wedding.”
Do you feel like you still have a strong connection to your heritage? And what does that mean to you?
PA: “One hundred percent, especially with the league. It seems like there’s more and more Nigerians getting into the league, so I can recognize by last names, and that’s the common denominator that we have. And I can walk up to a guy after the game and say, ‘Hey, what tribe are you from?’ And we can chat for a little bit after the game.”
You’re also a devout Christian. With your hectic schedule, how do you incorporate your faith into your daily life?
PA: “For me, I don’t think it’s about incorporating it into my life. I feel like it is my life, so that’s the lens and how I see everything and go about work or go about being a husband or go about being a father. So it kind of reflects and touches all parts of my life. Every day I wake up, I mean, I always start out with a prayer or something like that or listen to my favorite all-time band, Hillsong [Worship], a Christian band, and, yeah, I feel like that starts my day off pretty good. And then there are a lot of believers on the team, and we always engage in conversations.”
You carry out your work as a missionary by volunteering your time to help others or donating gifts to those in need. What makes you want to give back to your community?
PA: “I believe that’s what we’re called to do. I know the verse or the saying, ‘To whom much is given, much is required from.’ And so I truly believe that. I know that everything that’s happened to me, it’s not for me. It’s so that Jesus can impact people through me. And so that’s how I try to live my life.”
How do you want to be remembered?
PA: “That’s tough. I would say . . . just someone who encouraged and lifted up and served others.”
If you had to pick five guys to be included on a guided tour somewhere, whom would you invite?
PA: “It would have to be Kanye West, Drake, Jamie Foxx for sure . . . umm, sheesh, the people that come to my head are Denzel [Washington] and Will Smith. And it’s funny because most of those guys are actors, and that’s because I want to be an actor whenever I’m done, so maybe that’s why those guys came to my head.”
Did you do any acting in high school or college?
PA: “No, not really. But I remember I went on Jimmy Fallon with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and we did a scene off of [‘Pretty Little Liars’]. We did a clip of it, and that was fun. But I’ve always just enjoyed the art of being somebody else and entertaining a crowd.”
As a professional football player, you’ve probably made some Hollywood connections, right?
PA: “I’ve made connections, but I haven’t pursued them yet.”
On the topic of entertainment, do you have any TV show recommendations for fans?
PA: “I’m a huge Netflix guy. I’m watching ‘The Blacklist’ right now.”
