ScholarZine Ng hooked up with one of the 30 start-ups selected by the federal government to showcase technological solutions that can help Nigeria’s problems in the Aso Villa demo day that took place some weeks ago. His name is Odior Yole. A technologist who as built a lot of systems that has helped many Nigerian company and abroad. He’s currently working on a project that will reduce unemployment drastically.​
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Please could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Odior Yole is my name, I am passionate about technology for all it is. I taught myself to build websites in 2011 by studying the textbooks of my elder brother. Since then, I just build stuffs for people whenever they approached me without charging for the service. These free works between 2011 and 2015 allowed me gain huge experience.

Can you tell us about your educational cycle?

I am from Delta state and I have a BA from Delta state university in History and International Studies,I graduated in february 2014. I have completed my youth service at Ekiti state.
Despite studying History, what made you to have such affection for Technology?
I picked up interest in tech when i was very little. My dad bought a desktop computer iin 2006 when i was in JSS3. since then, I took it upon myself to learn all I could. so when I found textbooks (my eder brothers studied computer science), I was more than happy to learn all I could. I first learnt visual basic before i moved on to html for web design. At this time, I was in school, I practically used a lot of my money to download materias from the internet and read

What motivated you to keep on learning about technology even without a potential teacher?

yes its all about passion, at about the time I started learning html, I started reading a lot as well especially from
techcrunch.com. I saw that people could use technology to provide solutions to major problems, thats what first motivated me enough to learn more. I wanted to build solutions to the immediate problems around me using technology. The first actual product I developed in line with this vision was SocialBuy NG, a food delivery service I launched on campus in 2012. It didnt exactly do well but I learnt a lot
Mr. Yole receiving an handshake from President Buhari at the Aso Villa Demo Dat.
Is your Food delivery service SocialBuy Ng still in existence?
NO, it folded up, I went ahead to build Sell Media, an e commerce platform. It folded up as well. as at that time, I had learnt how to build things but I had not understood how to build a business. We are all still learning that though.

Do you think technology can solve Nigeria’s recent problems like recession?

Yes it can. In fact startups like BudgIT are doing a lot to encourae transparency in ovt expenses, we have startups like Foodstantly encouraging govt and individuals to patronize local farmers more, we have tech solutions focused on ensuring govt doesnt have to look ouside before they can get systems that work – like government spends millions of dollars on SAP products just to handle payrolls, there are homegrown solutions which cost far less. Government could use tech to streamline the process of employment, tech can be deployed in tracking and monitoring projects that have been awarded..theres just a lot of ways tech can help if given the chance

Recently you received a presidential recognition, do you ever dreamed of it? And what made it possible?

I have built websites, apps and tons of digital soutions for a whole lot of companies. I’ve lost count. But I am shifting to developing solutions now so I no longer freelance as I used to do, I registered a company just to provide these design services to other companies, I have left active management role now and I am now focusing on other products this bings me to the presidential rcognition.
30 startups were selected to prove that tech could be used to solve actual nigerian problems, I developed a Go CV, a platform that connects employers with employees and uses a shift system to provide more jobs. shift system means jobs are given on part time basis, so instead of one erson doing a job, we split the job between 2 people and the salary is split among them as well this approach allows more people to have something to look forward to at the end of the month.

What can you advice people who have passion like yours for tech, but does not have the funds?

In tech, passion counts. there are tons of materials on the internet for you to learn anything. then just go ahead and build things for people, you dont need to charge money for it, it is relevant for you to gain skills first. I didnt start with money, i started by reading. then working for free, eventually people are going to start paying for what you do. but initially you need to be pasionate enought o work for free. When i was in school, i used to be very comfortable doing huge projects for my friends who were stufying computer science. i did it for free, or almost free. all they needed to do was to buy me biscuits and mineral. thats all then i would work all night. it wasnt about the money or biscuits, it was about the passion.

What are you greatest fears?

Thats tricky, but it would be tthe fact that there are hundreds of things to learn and i havent perfected the ones i know.

Do you plan to Launch the Go Cv project for general use?

Yes, the time will be communicated to you.
Before you go sir, what can you advice to nigerian youths?
Learn all you can learn, at the end, its worth it. and if possible learn to code. 5 years ago, it was a requirement that everyone should be computer literate. 5 years from now, it would be a requirement that everyone should have basic knowledge of programming.

Thanks for your time. God bless you sir. This will go a long way in my life and other youths out there



https://scholarzine./2016/10/17/an-interview-with-odior-yole-from-freelance-works-to-presidential-recognition/


cc : Lalasticlala , seun

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