On 31 July 2006, he stated that he prefers to be called Mikel John Obi instead of John Obi Mikel, as he had most commonly been called.
Den 31 Juli 2006 huet hie gesot datt hien heiansdo Mikel John Obi genannt gëtt anstatt de John Obi Mikel, wéi hien am allgemengen sou genannt gouf.