From Rejection to Building: The Story Behind devzeke

I didn't choose tech. Tech chose me — through a rejection letter.

In 2018, I got admission into Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa to study Computer Science. But here's the truth: Computer Science was never my first choice. I applied to FUTA for Electrical/Electronics Engineering, and I didn't get in. So I ended up in a course I never planned for, in a school I never imagined, studying something I had zero emotional connection to.

That lack of connection showed up in my results. My first year was rough. I was physically present but mentally checked out — going through the motions without any real sense of why I was there.

The Turning Point

Second year changed everything.

I joined the Inventor Community on campus, and for the first time, I got introduced to programming and what it actually meant to build things with code. Something clicked. I didn't just want to pass exams anymore — I wanted to become a software engineer.

But the journey wasn't suddenly easy. Far from it.

I struggled to connect with people around me. Most of my mates were already ahead, and coming from a background where I was always the one leading, feeling like the slowest person in the room was a humbling experience I wasn't ready for. I wasn't very social either. So my approach was simple — YouTube. I'd spend hours learning alone, and only walk up to my seniors like Tony K, Bro Juwon, and Bro Silas, or my mates like Asaolu, Joel, and Tope when I was completely stuck.

Looking back, that isolation slowed me down more than I realized at the time. Community accelerates growth. But stubbornness and pride can keep you in a corner longer than necessary.

The Years I "Wasted" Building the Wrong Things

For close to two years, I was building a dating site.

Yes — a dating site. As someone still learning the fundamentals.

I never finished it. I also started several other big projects during that period, none of which made it past the idea phase. The problem? I kept thinking big before thinking small. I wanted to build the next major platform before I could confidently build a functional CRUD app. That's a trap a lot of young developers fall into, and I fell deep into it.

But I don't call those years truly wasted anymore. They taught me persistence, problem-solving, and what not to do — lessons no tutorial can give you.

When Things Started to Count

In my fourth year, something shifted.

A senior student needed someone to build their final year project. I took the job and charged ₦50,000 — my first real paid project. It wasn't a massive product. But it was proof. Proof that someone trusted my skills enough to pay for them.

That opened the door to my internship at Aptech Computer Education for my SIWES program. I worked hard, showed up, and by the time I graduated, they brought me on as a full staff member. Working at Aptech gave me structure, professional experience, and confidence I hadn't had before.

Then came NYSC.

Teaching, Building & Finding My Purpose

During my service year, I discovered something I didn't expect — I love teaching.

I started working with young students and aspiring developers, breaking down technical concepts in ways that actually made sense to beginners. Watching someone understand something for the first time because of how you explained it? That feeling is unmatched.

That passion led me to found Codene Academy — an online tech school designed to teach and equip the next generation of developers. It's currently online, but the vision is bigger. One day, Codene Academy goes offline too, with physical classrooms and real communities.

Alongside that, I built Payzeker — a marketing and earning strategy platform designed to promote Codene Academy and other businesses. It's the business arm that funds and fuels the mission.

So, What Is devzeke?

devzeke is me.

It's my personal brand — a space where I document the journey, share what I'm learning, talk about what I'm building, and connect with other developers who are on their own paths. It's not a company. It's not a tutorial channel. It's a front-row seat to the story of a developer who started from rejection, stumbled through the early years, and is still building — loudly and unapologetically.

I'm starting this because I believe my story is worth telling. Not because it's perfect, but because it's real. And somewhere out there is a developer who got into tech by accident, feels behind their peers, spent years on a project that never shipped, and still hasn't given up.

This one's for you.

Welcome to devzeke. The journey continues here.

Follow along as I write about software development, building products, teaching, and everything in between.