From Lagos to Kigali: A Q&A with Software Developer Bezaleel Olakunori
Software developer, C# programmer and Blender 3D artist, Bezaleel Olakunori, takes us through his journey from creating video games in Nigeria to managing fashion digital assets in Rwanda.
Bezaleel Olakunori is a C# developer and member of The ROOM’s global community of top tech talent. He is currently working with Bestseller — a Danish fashion and e-commerce company that owns more than 20 brands and sells products in 70 countries across the globe — in their new software development centre that’s been set up in Kigali, Rwanda. Bezaleel talks to us about how a combination of training and skills acquisition from ALX’s Software Engineering programme, and talent representation from The ROOM, led him to the most exciting opportunity of his career yet.
Tell us a bit about your journey into tech. Why did you want to become a software engineer?
My interest in tech started from video games. I was really into video games in my last year of high school, and I was always curious about the process of creating a video game from scratch. This led me to discover programming languages like Unity and C#. I also got really interested in learning how to make 3D assets using the computer software, Blender. So I began working with Blender, doing image manipulation, and also trying to learn how to code with C#. It was all very exciting!
Before I graduated from high school, I was able to create a simple game of Tic-Tac-Toe following the instructions on the Unity site. I was really passionate about what I was doing, so after I graduated, I went deeper into C#, asp.net, and other web application development tools. Luckily for me, I picked a really good programming language, which I still use today.
What have been some of the most interesting projects you’ve worked on and opportunities you’ve had access to as a software engineer? How have they influenced your current career path?
One of the most interesting things I’ve worked on is creating a reader for 3D formats. It’s called Helix Toolkit — you can find it on GitHub. It’s one of the few tools for Windows development that allows you to work with 3D. I worked on the Helix Toolkit because I noticed, in my search for 3D libraries, that some models were not supported.
Luckily enough, at my current role at Bestseller, we’re working on creating 3D fashion products, allowing designers to use 3D models to show off their clothes and upload them to their sites. So it’s great that I got interested in 3D development early on by working on video games. Now I get to use that skill in my current role.
You participated in the Software Engineering programme at ALX. What was your experience and how has it shaped your career? What were some of the highlights of the programme and key skills that you gained?
I found the ALX Software Engineering programme online, and realised that the programme provided a lot of knowledge that I didn’t have at the time, so I signed up. It really helped me understand programming languages like C and C++. I also learned how to manage servers, track metrics, and monitor server requests to ensure that the server is functioning properly. The tool we used at ALX at the time is currently being used at Bestseller, so the Software Engineering programme has been very helpful for my career.
It’s a notably rigorous and demanding programme. How did you overcome some of the most challenging aspects of it?
It’s true that a lot of the projects we worked on were quite challenging, but I’m not one to shy away from challenges. Once I understand what the benefits are, I’ll do my best to make sure I achieve the results.
One of the most memorable projects I encountered during the programme was the ‘printf’ project — a project that required us to implement the classic printf. (Printf is a function that takes a string and allows you to format text that will be printed on a screen.) It required a lot of research on how the standard printf function works, and that helped to make us better at using printf and also improve our skills on how to implement features that are not so straightforward. We also had to work with floating point numbers, and those are stored in a tricky way in a computer, so you have to perform some mathematical calculations to actually print them on the screen. It was quite time consuming and complicated, with several moving parts, but after I successfully implemented it, I really started feeling like I was getting the full benefits of enrolling in the programme.
I think the greatest part about the Software Engineering programme was that I was able to work on difficult things that most universities won’t teach. For example, with printf, most universities would have asked students to stick to their programming languages and just let the language handle printf for them. But the ALX programme allowed me to really get my hands dirty, and figure out the challenges on my own.
Tell us about your new role with the Bestseller team as a C# developer. How did you get the opportunity, and what does your role entail?
After I completed the Software Engineering programme at ALX, I got a call from a Talent Agent from The ROOM who shared the Bestseller opportunity with me. I actually hadn’t heard of Bestseller before then, and I think it’s because they are similar to Alphabet; many people don’t know that Alphabet is the parent company of Google, YouTube, and other companies. Bestseller is similar in the sense that they are the parent company for a lot of fashion brands that people know about. So I started doing some research about the company and I learned that they were trying to transition into 3D. They also were working with several technologies that I was either familiar with or was interested in working on, so that got me more excited about the opportunity.
The ROOM was really helpful in getting me into Bestseller. They conducted a series of mock interviews with me to help prepare me to meet with the Bestseller team. I had two interviews with the Bestseller team; the first one was just to get to know the team and for them to get to know me, and the second was a technical interview.
Thankfully, I was successful at both. I currently work with the team that manages digital assets for the company. They take photos of the brand items, and we support them with uploading the assets to the digital platform and managing the assets. My team is also trying to move to 3D, so we’re working on adding a 3D feature to the digital platform. Bestseller is also moving into eCommerce, so I get to work on that as well.
If someone had asked me if I ever saw myself working in the fashion industry, I would have said, “Not a chance.” But that’s the great thing about tech; it exposes you to many different experiences. You just have to be open for anything.
You had to relocate to Kigali for this role. How has that experience been? What are some of the benefits and challenges of leaving your home and moving to Rwanda?
My job with Bestseller gave me the opportunity to move to Kigali from Lagos, Nigeria, but I’ve actually lived in Kigali before. I was in school in Rwanda between 2015 and 2017, so it wasn’t that much of a culture shock moving back. I will say, though, that Rwanda has changed a lot since the last time I lived here — from the transport system to the fact that a lot of the payments are cashless now. Even people without smartphones are able to do some form of cashless payments that are supported by their mobile networks. I think that’s awesome. I really like Kigali. I also love how accessible government services are here; I can apply for my work permit and other important documents online, and pick them up once they’re available. Life in Lagos is a bit more over the top, so I’m enjoying the serenity and change of pace in Kigali.
As a full time C# developer, what excites you about the tech environment in Africa, and how do you think international companies can take advantage of the growing community of skilled tech talent across the continent?
I think the tech environment here is growing and developing rapidly. There are a lot of people on the continent with fresh ideas and different perspectives about the future of technology. I think there’s a great market for foreign tech companies to take advantage of; Africans are motivated, hard working, and honestly we’re just really cool people. The international community would be doing itself a disservice if it didn’t take advantage of the amazing talent we have on the continent.
For example, there’s a new C# developer on the team — Jeremiah Chienda from Malawi, who was also placed by a Talent Agent from The ROOM. He does amazing work, and there’s a lot he’s contributing to the team. He has a lot of cool designs that you don’t necessarily see on other websites.
Regarding skills, I think they are universal. I wouldn’t say Africa is miles behind or ahead of the international tech community. But we do have a lot to offer, particularly when it comes to offering a different perspective on how we can achieve certain results. So I think that’s one great thing that international tech companies can take advantage of — a different perspective towards the solutions they’re trying to implement.
A good portion of the tech community in Africa are working on unconventional technologies like blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, and machine learning, and that’s something that’s beneficial for the future of technology. Having talented people work on different technologies will definitely make communication easier among people. There’s also a lot going on in the community now; there are opportunities for techpreneurs to network and work on solutions together, and I think Rwanda is the perfect place to make that happen.
If you could go back in time, to when your journey into tech began, would you do anything differently? What advice would you give to young or early tech enthusiasts who are trying to establish themselves in tech?
If I’m being realistic, I’d probably do a lot differently because I’m still working on finding myself. I’d advise early tech professionals to be patient, and work on having a clear direction first. It’s not always easy, but it’s a process you have to go through if you want to be successful. Don’t try to become someone else. Find yourself by discovering what moves you, what you’re interested in, what you want to work on, and what you need to achieve your goals. Putting those pieces together helps you create a version of yourself that can actually do some good in the world.
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