From Home Tutor to Software Engineer at one of the Leading Banks in Africa
Written by Princess Wilson
Maruf Ajagunna was a part of the first cohort of The Bulb Africa’s fellowship program, also known as the Alpha devs. Maruf joined the JavaScript track in October 2020 and began a learning journey that completely transformed his life. So much so that he describes himself as one of the “several success stories of The Bulb’s fellowship program”.
Originating from Ogun state, Maruf got his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Lagos in 2019. Before joining the program, Maruf served as a teacher, offering private tutoring services in English and Mathematics. However, upon hearing about the program from a friend, he took a bold step that left a rippling effect on his life.
“I decided to give it a trial because that was exactly the opportunity I was waiting for back then. I decided to train as a software engineer because I was already a self-learning engineer looking for an opportunity.”
While honing his skills as a self-learner, like many young people trying to get a head start in Nigeria, Maruf faced certain challenges that inhibited his learning. “Before the fellowship program, I used to face two major challenges. One of which was financial support. There was no money — No money to get good food. You can’t write code on an empty stomach. Additionally, I had no technical support. Combined, these problems really slowed down my learning process.”
Due to these challenges, he knew it would take far too long to become a skilled software engineer. So, he actively sorted out opportunities where he could find them, but they all turned him down. All but one company took a chance on someone who turned out to be one of the most elite tech talents the world has seen.
“I had been getting a lot of rejections. But The Bulb was the first and only company that gave me the opportunity I was looking for. The company that gave me exactly what I needed at the time.”
Joining the fellowship program didn’t just let him improve his skills and achieve his dreams; it also provided a solution to the challenges that plagued his self-learning journey.
“The first solution is the stipend. The Bulb gave us a stipend during the training program, which covered my feeding and transport. So, it made learning easier for me. Secondly, we had amazing facilitators. So, anytime I had a problem, I had someone to run to. Apart from the facilitators, I also had very smart co-fellows to help me out. It was the perfect technical support that was missing.”
On graduating as a high-flying fellow, Maruf put together his credentials, the projects he had worked on during his training and other qualifications and began his job search. While he was also looking for opportunity, as he did prior to the fellowship, it was a different scenario. It was now an opportunity to put his skills to practice and grow as an engineer. As expected, he found it.
“After the fellowship program, I went ahead and got myself an internship opportunity with a software company. That experience expanded my knowledge and added to what I already learned from the fellowship program at The Bulb.”
According to Maruf, the internship enabled him to step up and show what he was capable of doing rather than talking about it. Thanks to the internship experience and his time as a fellow at The Bulb, Maruf has made significant advancements in his career. “Right now, I’ve landed a job with one of the biggest banks in Africa. So, I thank God for the opportunity and thank you, The Bulb Africa. I would always recommend the fellowship program for anyone out there.”
Maruf is one of the many successes that came out of The Bulb’s fellowship program and elevated their careers. From a home tutor to a software engineer, building digital solutions for a top financial institution on the continent.
His journey is a testament to the fact that when young people are given the right opportunity and resources, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish. Maruf’s journey has just begun, and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for our Alumnus.