Who are Emeka Egbuka's parents, Henry and Rhonda? His dad emigrated from Nigeria
Emeka Egbuka's parents were present to support him during his selection in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His parents have gained attention for raising a talented NFL wide receiver. He credits his success and competitive drive to his parents. Emeka once said:
I would say my dad was very instrumental in my role of growing up. He’s definitely laid the groundwork for what it looks like for me to be a man and someone I could try to be like every day.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Emeka Egbuka's parents are Henry Egbuka and Rhonda Ogilvie.
- Henry has a Nigerian nationality, while Rhonda is an American.
- Henry and Rhonda had Emeka Egbuka in October 2002.
- Emeka Egbuka's parents are divorced, and his mom is married to Eric Ogilvie.
Profile summary
Full name | Emeka Egbuka |
Date of birth | 14 October 2002 |
Age | 23 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Tacoma, Washington, United States |
Nationality | Nigerian-American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Father | Henry Egbuka |
Mother | Rhonda Ogilvie |
Siblings | 3 |
Marital status | Single |
School | Steilacoom High School |
College/university | Ohio State University |
Profession | Professional football player |
Social media |
Emeka Egbuka's parents are from different races
Henry Egbuka and Rhonda Ogilvie are the parents of Emeka Egbuka, a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They come from different national and racial backgrounds.
The NFL player's father, Henry, is of Nigerian Igbo descent. He emigrated from Nigeria to the United States at the age of 20. Henry once posted a throwback picture with an Igbo outfit on Instagram on 30 June 2023, with the caption:
See what just popped up. Tough Nigerian prince at 14.
Source: Original
He is African-American
Emeka Egbuka's ethnicity is African-American, and he also has dual nationality of Nigerian-American. His mother, Rhonda, is a white American native from DuPont royalty. Her father, Ron Frederick, was elected mayor of DuPont, Washington, in 2020.
Is Emeka Egbuka a Christian?
He is a Christian. Emeka Egbuka's family members are strong Christians, and he was brought up in that path. He dedicates every one of his games to God, and his Instagram profile indicates “Christ follower.”
Emeka Egbuka's dad works as a project manager
Henry is a graduate and a master's degree holder in civil engineering from Saint Martin's University.
He currently serves as a senior project manager with the U.S. Department of Defence, according to his LinkedIn profile. Aside from this, he is a former junior professional in both tennis and soccer.
Rhonda Ogilvie is a senior director and data analyst
She also earned her master's degree in Management of Information Systems from Saint Martin's University. Rhonda's LinkedIn page shows that she is currently serving as the Director of Enterprise Data Warehouse at Kaiser Permanente, a position she has held since 2011.
Before joining Kaiser Permanente, Rhonda worked at Group Health Cooperative as a manager of enterprise reporting. Emeka praised his mother while talking with The Columbus Dispatch in October 2021, saying:
I would say my favourite part about my mom is that she's a very happy person. She's always smiling, so it's hard to be sad or angry around her. So, being the light for my older siblings? I definitely learned that from her.
Source: Getty Images
Emeka Egbuka's mother and father are divorced
The football star's parents are separated, although the exact time of the separation is unknown. Rhonda is now married to Eric Ogilvie.
He raised Emeka as his own and even taught him cooking skills. In an interview with Overtime in August 2025, Emeka said:
I grew up really blessed. My stepdad is a chef. He was hooking it up [in the kitchen] every single day.
How many siblings does Emeka Egbuka have?
Emeka has three siblings from his mother and father. The NFL player is the eldest, born on 14 October 2002 in Tacoma, Washington, United States. His parents raised him in Steilacoom, Washington.
Rhonda has two children, Keanan and Eva, for Emeka Egbuka's stepfather, Eric. In November 2024, Henry welcomed his daughter Zayna with another woman.
Source: Instagram
Emeka Egbuka's parents are pillars in their son's success
Henry’s strong work ethic and high expectations have continuously motivated Emeka throughout his football career. He also posts and celebrates his son's win on his Instagram page.
Rhonda has also supported his athletic career and often celebrates his wins on Facebook. Emeka said during an April 2025 press conference:
They’ve done a phenomenal job raising me, setting the standard for what it is to be a person of high character and high integrity. They’ve sacrificed so much for me to be able to get to this point.
Henry is big on his son's education
As a strong believer in the importance of education, Henry laid out the rule for his son to finish school and get his master's, even though he is living his dream as a footballer. Henry told the Big Ten Network in October 2024:
Emeka, at a minimum, will get a master's degree at some point. I don't care about the NFL; he knows that. The deal I had with him going to Ohio State was that he had to get a degree, regardless, before he went to the next level.
Frequently asked questions
- What nationality is Emeka? Egbuka's nationality is Nigerian-American.
- Who is Emeka Egbuka's father? Henry Egbuka is his father.
- Is Emeka Egbuka African? The wide receiver is African-American.
- Where is Emeka Egbuka's family from? His father is of Igbo descent in Nigeria, while his mother is a Native American.
Conclusion
Emeka Egbuka's parents are instrumental in his football success. He continues to excel in the NFL while staying true to the values his parents instilled in him.
READ MORE: Meet Leta Ramirez and Cliff Lamb
As Briefly.co.za published, Cliff Lamb, the father of CeeDee, played football at MidAmerica Nazarene, a Division II school based in Olathe, Kansas. Leta Ramirez and Cliff Lamb divorced when CeeDee was young.
Cliff Lamb is a former college football player. He played at MidAmerica Nazarene University, a Division II school in Kansas. He also owned a ranch with horses.
Source: Briefly News
