Hanif Olayiwola is 17 and already wants to make sure that more people know what Web3 is, which is the reason he calls himself a Web3 enthusiast. And when he introduces himself, he says, “I am a Content Writer, Frontend Developer and Web3 enthusiast.”
His journey into tech, he says, is a bit complicated as he “left secondary school very young, at 14, and I did not know what to do or confused on what steps to take in my life.” When it eventually started, he said he learnt some skills, “using my mum’s phone. Then she paid ₦1,000 for a copywriting class, but I dropped copywriting and SEO. I was not serious with it.”
Hanif Olayiwola says he also learnt fashion designing in 2019-2020 – a skill, just as hair styling and barbing, and mechanic that became a regular skillset for people in the school of hard knocks.
In 2021, “sapa (very low purchasing power) came, and I was broke. So, that was how I said to myself that I had to get serious and I started applying for jobs.”
At the end of 2021, he was working two jobs, and his journey into tech began to have a face.
It was in early 2022 that I realised what tech is all about. I did not have anyone to tell me, ‘this is what tech is all about. Get into this.’
Hanif Olayiwola
Hanif Olayiwola as a hustler
You would think the ₦1,000 his mum gave him to go learn copywriting was just the beginning of her support for him. But, “all the devices I use to work, I got them all on my own.”
Read also: Meet Sumayah Adegbite, a 15-year-old seeking to empower girls between 13-18 with STEM skills
Hanif would sigh when he tells you he has learnt a lot. “I learnt graphic design. I learnt digital marketing. I learn almost everything they do on the internet.”
Ultimately, his journey kickstarted of his own volition.
Why Web3?
Money.
“To be honest, what caught my interest in Web3 was money. I did not know that Web3 was the future of the internet. I did not know what it was all about,” Hanif Olayiwola says.
He saw an opportunity to take up Blockchain Engineering, so he paid ₦10,000 for the class. That gave him more insight, so his interest grew beyond the cash benefits into taking conscious efforts to be part of the progress towards the future of the internet.
Hanif looks forward to having a startup for Web3 enthusiasts so he educates other people.
Combining Web3, Content Writing and Frontend Development
Hanif uses writing as a medium to join all three together.
Since I am a writer, I write about Web3. I also have the zeal to educate people about what I do.
The aim is to guide newbies entering the Web3 ecosystem, so they understand the nitty-gritty before they jump into it. For frontend development, he is not halfway through the tunnel yet, but he commits to getting to the end.
Also, the teenage tech enthusiast wants to start a career in Blockchain Engineering infused with Technical Writing.
When asked about earnings…
“My average monthly earnings is ₦90,000,” an amount not more than 3% of what people earn when they are that age. Understandable because they are under their parent’s roof and think they have all the time in the world.
Interestingly, Hanif Olayiwola splits his earnings, and some of it goes to his family – talk about fast-forwarding your adult responsibilities.
Work and education
School is not a scam for Hanif, as he is looking forward to getting into university this year [2022], but ASUU has been bickering with the federal government and that dream may be far-fetched.
“I have plans for university.”
He argues that he has learnt to manage his professional roles well, so his academics are going to run smoothly. He is not envisaging a situation where one hinders the growth of the other.
To newbies
“They should not be like me. They should get the right guidance and choose a particular path they want to focus on before deciding to diversify,” Hanif says.
He adds that when he started, he kept picking and picking, all the time, looking at the money. But, advises: “Know yourself. Know what appeals to you. If you do not like coding, there is design, and there’s writing.”
When you choose which path you want, he continues, you should find a mentor and ask them questions, especially how they got to the stage they are. “They can even share resources with you.”
If you don’t want a mentor, take time to discover yourself.
Hanif Olayiwola
Hanif Olayiwola recommends newbies also join communities like GenZTechies because “you get to meet and connect with different people with tech skills. There are CEOs, there are co-founders, there are interns, programmers in GenZTechies.“
He refers to the statement ‘your network is your net worth’ when reiterating that joining communities are not arguable.
For Web3 enthusiasts, he recommends Web3 Africa, the community he joined when he started with Web3.
All play and no work?
“I play video games.”
Watch the video here:
Technext Newsletter
Get the best of Africa’s daily tech to your inbox – first thing every morning.
Join the community now!
