Chinedu Andrew Obiekea did not follow the usual route into professional bodybuilding. Born in Kaduna, Nigeria, in 1985, he completed his education in engineering before working as an electrical engineer and serving as a military officer.
He was also a kickboxer before he ever set foot on a bodybuilding stage. He came to the sport late, but the speed with which he has made up for lost time has startled even seasoned observers.
Jacked began competing seriously in 2021. His first major appearance came at the EBBF Ajman Bodybuilding and Physique Contest in the United Arab Emirates, where he won and earned his IFBB Elite Pro card.
He won another IFBB Elite Pro League show a week later. In 2022 he switched to the IFBB Pro League, won the Arnold Classic Amateur, and turned professional. Later that year he won the Texas Pro in his pro debut, qualifying for his first Mr Olympia. He finished eighth.
The progress that followed was relentless. He placed fifth at the 2023 Mr Olympia and fifth again in 2024. By 2025 he had climbed to third at both the Arnold Classic and the Mr Olympia. In 2026 he went one better.
In Columbus, Ohio, Jacked won the Arnold Classic, defeating a field that included former Mr Olympia champion Hadi Choopan and 2021 Arnold Classic winner Nick Walker.
The victory brought him $750,000, the largest prize in bodybuilding history, plus $10,000 for the Ed Corney Best Poser Award. Weeks later he won the Arnold Classic UK in Birmingham, adding $250,000. The combined haul, dubbed the “Million Dollar March” before the season began, was delivered in full.
At 6ft 2in and around 290lb in contest condition, Jacked is a rare physical specimen. He has the mass required for the Men’s Open division, yet he carries it with a balance and proportion that judges reward.
Now based in Dubai, where he trains at Binous Gym, he competes under the flag of the United Arab Emirates. His physique has drawn comparisons with the greats of the past, though he is very much a modern competitor.
The one prize missing is the Sandow. After his Arnold Classic UK win, Jacked made his ambition clear. “The Sandow is missing, so I’m definitely going for that,” he said. “The thing I’m most happy about is the consistent improvements in every show”.
At the 2026 Mr Olympia he finished fourth, a result that will frustrate a man of his drive but one that also confirms he belongs among the elite. He has already signalled his intention to return to the Arnold Classic in 2027, writing on Instagram: “we will run it back 2027”.
For a former engineer who once worked in uniform, bodybuilding has become a second career of remarkable precision. Each show has brought improvement. Each season has brought a new title. What remains is the final construction. If Jacked continues on this path, the Sandow may not be missing for much longer.
