Apo-Context: Apo-Boys

I graduated from the Federal Government Boys' College, Abuja in Nigeria (city and country of birth). Alumni and students call it Apo-Boiz. It's one of Nigeria's Unity Colleges, built for merit and diversity. Translation: wake up early, obey the rules already in place, compete hard, and don't get caught sneaking food, in other words, survive. That discipline-plus-competition cocktail shaped how I approach both life and tech.

Apo-Foundations: Independence in Survival

Boarding house equals bootcamp for independence. You either learned to think for yourself or became the joke of the week.

We were like rough stones in a quarry, colliding until something sharper came out. Lux ex labore, light from labor. Pro Unitate, for unity, is the Latin motto of the Federal Government colleges. Like a multi-linked list, we comprised different religions and ethnic backgrounds. To make our country better, we learned to coexist within the four walls of an institution from a young age. It worked for me.

• Brotherhood that tested loyalty and patience in equal measure, in every nook and cranny.
• Discipline carved through endless duties and drills.
• Friendships that polished away doubt (and sometimes stole your provisions or junk food supply).
• Routine living was the order of the day.
• Table-top beat jockeys for the rappers and musicians that entertained me. My BIOT MP3s.

Apo-Moments: My Graduation - Moments

Gratitude. Excitement. Curiosity. Nostalgia. On July 24, 2016, I left FGBC with a mindset that still keeps me set today: show up, do the work, lead when it counts, and learn faster and better than yesterday.

Uni-Arrival: Stepping into Higher Education

I made it into university, but it wasn't the temple of knowledge as I'd imagined. The curriculum felt shallow, more chalk dust than fundamentals. The system of education wasn't impressive.

By then, I had already taught myself HTML, CSS, and some JavaScript at age 15. So I knew I had to expand my horizon beyond the lecture hall. I'd attend lectures while contrasting what I was learning with PDFs from Harvard and other great institutions that publish materials online. I was right: lectures felt redacted so the low-income lecturer could get home on time, not the way to teach the future.

I glued myself to PDFs and YouTube.

Teaching-Practice: Bridging Taught Theory and Real-World Impact

Double honours meant double duty.

At Ibeku High School, I spent 6 months teaching:

• SS3 students (16–22): revisions from numbering systems to basics of programming and internet security.
• Younger students (10–18): computer basics, software, operating systems.

During my last months, I trained staff at the National Root Crop Research Institute on RFID, smart cards, and ID card makers, and did a quick flex with Pandas/Numpy automations as they wanted to see my appraised project. As a carry-over student, I had an extra year (issues from choosing CS). My web project was an EDA using Python (we were told to use any language, we were never taught OOP). It argued for the importance of Computer Studies in Nigerian institutions and how our curriculum compared poorly to others. People said my slides felt like a boardroom deck, because I did the extra learning required.

Teaching wasn't just duty; it clarified my learning, showed my blind spots, and sharpened my confidence.

Uni-Grind: The Real Learning Journey

Algorithms, data structures, operating systems, databases, these stuck. The prerequisites? I passed most exams without retaining much.

So I hacked my education:

• Skipped SED407 and some irrelevant classes to practise Python in my hostel.
• So when i say irrelevant: I mean classes that focused more on moral, thoeretic practices assiociated with being a teacher. I couldnt imagine taking Moral classes seriously when the education system itself in my country curriculum was flawed. I focused on the technical side of things.
• Spent time in Discord and X spaces, learning blockchain through materials and interaction with devs.
• By final year (extra year), I was learning AI and machine learning.
• Learned to draw and generate NFTs; designed my first SVG NFT for a community in my 5th year (I spent 6 years).
• Realized my Iter was too big for one country; it needed to spark outside Africa. Resources were too limited.

That's when I started planning the move.

Krisved: Family Business Venture

From Jan 2022 to Apr 2024, I co-ran KRISVED Global Services with my mom and siblings. Sales, logistics, and family drama mixed into one venture.

• Customer service and vendor wrangling.
• Logistics and inventory that turned into spreadsheets from hell.
• Grassroots marketing and events that actually got traction.
• I mastered the art of selling and advertising. Some days, when I felt pumped, I didn't drive I'd literally hawk.
• The path I was on, the business I managed, and my background made me seem shameless to some. I only found pride and ego inconsequential.

It sharpened my entrepreneurial instincts, egalitarian yet competitive mindset, and communication skills in ways no class ever could. Vir fiebam.

Construction: Building Skills on Site

While coding sharpened my mind and marketing improved my communication, construction hardened everything else and gave me a handy skill.

While in Nigeria i did a couple of construction jobs to get a little money. At Dantata & Sawoe Construction (Nov 2022–Jun 2023), I was a material handler and flagman. and considering the heavy nature of the job at then which was Road rehabilitation, with no role experience, i held the flag up for vehicles, directed traffic, and ensured safety protocols were followed on site.

Then when i moved to canada i worked at Straight Forward Contracting, I installed windows, doors, hemlock ceilings, and surfface preparation for siding. i learned to use Battery-powered tools, meet tight deadlines, and working in high-risk zones meant problem-solving of a different flavour.

Volunteer: Giving Back to the Community

In Canada, I gave back while settling in:

507 Centre (Oct 2024–Jan 2025):

This Centre was founded to help homeless struggling people in Ottawa Canada

• Food Bank Assistance: sorting, packing, and distributing food to those in need.

Helping with Furniture (Dec 2024–Feb 2025):

• Furniture Assembly: assisting in assembling donated furniture for families and individuals.
• Logistics Support: helping with the transportation and delivery of furniture items.

Different roles, same lesson: This Community helps newly immigrated families with furnitures and other living supplies.

Projects: CDFE - Computer Do For Me Programs

My next chapter is CDFE, "Computer Do For Me." Projects that fuse automation, AI, robotics, and grit. Born from classrooms, construction sites, and countless hours of iteration, they're my way of proving that computers don't just compute, they collaborate.

The goal: build an ecosystem where humans and Aethels coexist symbiotically. Neither is supreme; they are parts of a single cycle. Humans can't achieve the great enlightenment without a logic that illuminates the path. Without computers, we have a hard time putting our logic to work in record time.