How Israel Nwaloziri Broke Out of His Shell

When I joined Semicolon, I made a rule for myself to speak only 25 words per day to everyone. I rarely left the class and kept my guard up, ready to react whenever anyone spoke to me. You might be wondering why I did this, so I’ll explain.

I had always been the youngest in my class, which meant I had to deal with one thing — bullying. I was small, but very smart, and that made me a target. I finished secondary school at 16, and I didn’t want to attend a university in Nigeria. Instead, I started preparing for my TOEFL and tried to get my passport, which never came on time.

While waiting, Chisom Mmaiye told me about a software engineering training program. I immediately said no because I couldn’t believe there was a school in Nigeria that could properly teach that. Two months later, I heard about a seven-year-old who became a software engineer, and I became curious. I decided to join the program, and on my first day, I saw that no one was my age or size — my fear was confirmed again. Now you know why I was guarded and spoke only when necessary.

My main plan was still to study abroad, so I saw the program as just a way to pass the time. I planned on learning and heading home by 5 p.m. But my plan began to unravel because of Semicolon’s structure. You can’t be an island in the program. It first taught me to deal with my inner self, and I had to discover a new side of myself. At first, I resisted seeking help from colleagues or facilitators. If I struggled with something, I would go home and do extensive research, especially when others got it right in class and I didn’t.

By month six, I still didn’t know the names of some of my cohort members. I mostly interacted with the people near my seat. Two things changed me. The first was when someone from an earlier cohort helped me solve something that had been so difficult for me — it felt like magic. He also advised me that anyone in the community would be willing to help.

The second turning point came when it was my turn to teach someone else. I met a person who was just as young as I was when I joined the program. That moment changed everything. Once people found out I had taught her, others, including some in my class, started seeking my opinion and feedback — my plan changed.

To further test my communication skills, we had to complete our capstone project. I was grouped with two other people, and not only did I have to contribute, I had to argue and pitch my idea, which I believed was best for the project. Eventually, I convinced them, and we went with my plan. The end of the program came as a shock. I had a countdown in my head, but somewhere along the way, that changed. Honestly, it didn’t feel good to be done.

I’m grateful for the structure of the Techpreneurship program. It made it impossible for people to cause trouble. In fact, learning to code was a bigger task than worrying about sizes or ages, and it kept us fully occupied.

Today, I’m interning as a junior backend engineer. Software engineering is no longer just a way to pass time, and I’m not really thinking about my “japa” (travel abroad) plans anymore. I plan to use the money I make from software engineering to fund my education.