Born and raised in the Northern part of Nigeria, this Tech Bae became fascinated with codes, seeing developers as geniuses and decided to challenge herself by pursuing a career in it but there were limited opportunities for career growth. However, an opportunity to join Utiva and move to Lagos was the launching pad for a blossoming career which saw her becoming a Cofounder.
Interviewed by: Samuel Davies
My tech journey
Techuncode: Good day, thank you for joining us on this interview
DA: It’s an honor to be here
Techuncode: 🥳🥳
Techuncode: So how did your journey into tech start?
DA: My journey into tech started during my Industrial Training days in 2019
Techuncode: What was your role?
DA: I was a Junior Front-end Web Developer
Techuncode: How did you choose web development?
DA: I chose it because I was curious. I wanted to know how the websites we see were being built. I felt people who wrote codes were geniuses and I wanted to be one too. So I decided to challenge myself and go that route.
Techuncode: And then you became a genius yourself
DA: I guess so 😌
Techuncode: So did the company retain you?
DA: Yes they did. So after my IT, I had to go back to school of course. But my then employer said they would like me to still stick around and work with them if I could manage that with school. I jumped on the offer because I also didn’t want to leave. The environment was aiding my growth in the tech space and I didn’t want to put that on hold so I decided to juggle it with my academic.
Techuncode: And it didn’t affect your academics?
DA: Yes it didn’t. I was studying Computer Science so if anything, it made me stronger in my academics.
Techuncode: I see
Techuncode: Now when did you decide it was time to leave and seeing how much faith they had in you, how did you manage the situation?
DA: Hmmm well, I decided to leave because I got a golden opportunity. I call it golden because it was a job offer to work with one of the leading EdTech companies in Subsaharan Africa, Utiva which is located in Lagos.
Now a quick backstory. I was born in the North and I schooled in the North, my IT Placement was also in the North. And when it comes to the workforce, we have limited opportunities for career growth in the North, especially in the tech space. And I wanted to grow because there’s no limit to how great I can be. Staying and working in the North might not exactly allow my goals and aspirations materialize how I want it.
So when that opportunity came to work with Utiva, I jumped on it.
Techuncode: Wow, so you moved to Lagos immediately?
DA: Not immediately, I worked remotely for 7 months after which I moved to Lagos.
Techuncode: How was the transition?
DA: It was not easy to be honest but I was determined to enjoy the process, so that I did.
Techuncode: And what was your role?
DA: My new role was Web Project Management with a Web Development and Digital Marketing Agency in Lagos, Futuresoft.
I got this offer 2 years after working with Utiva as a Digital Marketing Executive. I forgot to mention that my role at Utiva was Digital Marketing and not Web Development.
So you can see a lot of transitioning going on 😃
Techuncode: That’s quite a lot
Techuncode: How often do you take courses?
DA: Well it depends really. In 2021 I took about 13 courses to further hone my Product Management skills. This year, I haven’t taken up to 2 courses. So what I always do is identify an area of gap in my skill set, then I take a course to close that gap.
I’m a lifelong learner.
Techuncode: 13 courses in a year?
Techuncode: I guess that’s the most you’ve ever taken in a year.
DA: Crash courses. Yes. Each one had few modules so it was easy to take that much.
Techuncode: very cool
Techuncode: In your opinion, what soft skills are necessary to thrive in the corporate world?
DA: Communication Skills, Emotional Intelligence, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Leadership, Critical Thinking and Time Management.
I think if an employee possesses all these soft skills, it will be easy for them to thrive in the workforce and become indispensable.
Techuncode: for sure
Techuncode: What role are you currently in now and what’s the next step from here?
DA: I’m currently Head of Products & Cofounder at Cuddle Realty, a leading PropTech Company in Nigeria. I am also the Operations & Product Manager at The Casting Place, a premium online casting company for actors and talent recruiters.
Techuncode: Wow, this is huge
Techuncode: How are you able to manage both jobs.
DA: Managing both jobs has been a little bit of a challenge considering that I have to perform at optimum rates at both organizations.
But I’m getting a hang of it daily. Also being able to delegate has been how I have been able to manage both thus far.
Techuncode: I can imagine.
Techuncode: What would you say has been the most challenging situation for you in your career?
DA: Most challenging situation? Hmmm maybe doing too much at a time. Because in as much as having diverse skill set (hard skills) can be a blessing, it can also be something that affects your productivity if you do not know how to prioritize.
But apart from that, I honestly don’t think I have had a challenging situation (or I’m probably not remembering it at this time). I’ve pretty much been enjoying the ride and every challenge to me is an opportunity to get better.
Techuncode: To whom much is given, much is certainly expected
Techuncode: Do you pay attention to work-life balance?
DA: Yes I pay attention to work-life balance. I also observe ME-TIME. Taking long breathers is not just therapeutic for me, but it also rejuvenates my creative muscles and allows me perform tasks at optimum when I get back to work.
Techuncode: so it’s not always about work?
DA: Yes it is not always about work
Techuncode: Finally, In your journey, what culture do you think needs to change in the tech industry?
DA: In the tech industry, a culture of overwork and burnout should change. So because the tech industry gives us the opportunity to work remotely, we often times get to work round the clock. And we end up not Prioritizing work-life balance and mental well-being.
Techuncode: Thank you for your time, it was an insightful session 👊🏽
DA: Thank you for having me. I had a swell time
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