The Afro Dev Guy Podcast (ADG)

A lot changes when you first get the news that you will be becoming a Dad for the first time. A simple google search out there will bring up a lot of materials that favour women the most. There is very little for the men and so "We" just dive right in and focus on staying above water when the little angel arrives. 

I have been thinking about this in the last few days and decided to make an episode discussing the topic. I obviously didn't say everything I thought either because I forgot but I try to distil the main things to be aware of. Hopefully, someone out there finds this useful and you brace yourself for the changes that will happen. 

After a long break from recording due to fatherhood, Christmas break and life in general, I am back again starting 2023 with a new episode. I get to meet speak with someone I have known for a time but haven't really spoken to. We get to learn about his career as a Data Analyst and most importantly his experience freelancing from Nigeria for US-based companies. His name is Ibanga Ibanga.

Guest: Ibanga Ibanga

Seasoned data analyst with proven expertise in extracting insights from raw data to facilitate informed and data-backed business decision-making. Experience includes an excellent career working with organisations ranging from Silicon Valley start-ups to Fortune Global 500 companies.

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iibanga/

Upworks - https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/iibanga?s=1110580752008335360 

I recently caught up with Mitchel Offiong who I have known for a couple of years dating back to my undergraduate days. He is currently researching his Ph.D at the university of Exeter and I thought maybe I can listen and learn about his work. I hope you enjoy this as well. 

Profile: Mitchel Offiong - Ph.D Researcher University of Exeter

A Researcher/Lecturer with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Trained by the University of Exeter, UK, to teach in higher education. Skilled in Data Analysis, Public Speaking, Research and Programming. Currently investigating the use of Deep Learning tools to manage Smart Water Taps (SWT) in a context peculiar to the sub Sahara region. When completed, the study will help to ensure sustainability of the SWTs through predictive maintenance of the systems.

Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchel-offiong-88b85764/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3jskwMESzH40xVIXthxX1C?si=e166c39186c04966

Mr Oludolapo Soboyede is a UK-based Software Developer and founder of http://www.yinkos.com/. With a long track record of working in the Software Space, I decided to catch up with him and get to hear his back story. When not doing what software developers do, he is into music and loves to tinker with Electronics. 

He currently blogs at http://www.wonderousponder.com and if you are interested in his professional service you can then reach him at http://www.yinkos.com/. 

During the 2020 covid lockdown and the rising increase in online engagement through platforms like twitter, TwitterTwitter paces and clubhouse, there has been a significant increase in the number of people picking up interest in programming. I mean we have software channels on Instagram and Tik Tok which traditionally anyone who has been in tech for a long time would be surprised and it feels weird. What happened to slack, IRC channels and the likes.

I have witnessed a lot of 100 Days of coding challenges on social media and it has gathered communities together. I have also seen people use the 100 days of programming to gain social currency. Though I am happy there are more people interested in tech, I sometimes wonder if these challenges are genuine? This got me thinking about how I see software development? I thought back to how I started, why I started and what still keeps me in this space. 

Is software development a hobby? 

In this episode, I talk about the different ways to approach selecting your preferred technology stack. I give a back story of how I started and the path that led me to my current stack (Python).  There has been a spike in tech recruitment and transitioning from other fields into tech of late, especially during covid. The boom in job postings has shown a high demand for tech skills in different layers of many organisations from Non-technical tech roles like project management to deeply technical roles.

In this episode, I focus more on the technical aspects of tech. Technology is always changing as we have new tools, new frameworks getting launched often. It is important to always be on the learning path if one is to stay relevant in this field way before retirement. Where do you begin if you looking in from the outside? I share my story on how I evolved over time and the different technologies (in this case programming languages) I picked up, how I made those choices and the circumstances that influenced my evolution as a software developer.

Links:
https://www.ushahidi.com/

When you live your country to a new place and try to fit into the work culture, the whole issue of VISA could either make or break you. In this episode, I tell a story of how I got to land my first job. I shared approaches I took, challenges you could possibly face and the best way to navigate this minefield.

Learning about the culture of the society you looking for work in, understanding that they could be cultural differences in how you see or communicate. Should you go through a recruiter or not? It all depends. 

If you have ideas on topics you would like me to talk about or share from my experience feel free to email theadgpodcast@gmail.com

As a university student, as you get closer to graduating, you start wondering about the path to take outside the secure walls of the school. Considering Tech is every expanding and ever innovating, so there are endless possibilities. I cover aspect of life after university you should think of and some of things I thought of. Skills you probably need to developer before your first contact with the business world. 

As you start out, your choice of technology will be influences by the businesses in your vicinity. It is also good to look out for the type of space or companies you would like to work for and up-skill to meet their requirements. I also encourage you to view software development as a craft as it makes the journey a lot more enjoyable. 

When I finally decided to chase the dream of becoming a software developer. There weren't enough learning materials or good learning opportunities. I started out with no computer but with a passion, textbooks and a trusted notepad. The episode details my journey from how I learned while not having a PC at home to practice programming with to when I finally had one.

My first Job as a teacher involved me learning and teaching what I learned at the same time. I later shared my thoughts on how I think today in present day Nigeria (Africa), comparing it to my early days how learning can be achieved.

For feedback email: theadgpodcast@gmail.com