Towards fostering technological advancement across Africa, Nigerian-based tech powerhouse Alluvium continues its tour of the continent, engaging in seminars and workshops aimed at igniting the passion for technology among African youths and narrowing the digital divide.
During a recent nine-day expedition to Kenya, spearheaded by the company’s Co-founder, Taiwo Ojo-Olayisade, alongside key personnel Raphael Muritala and Lewis Tanguhwar, Alluvium left an indelible mark on the East African nation.
Alluvium’s venture into Kenya epitomizes its unwavering commitment to propelling Africa’s technological renaissance, one innovation at a time. Through collaborative efforts and a steadfast resolve, the company continues to inspire and empower the continent’s burgeoning tech talent, heralding a brighter future for Africa in the digital age.
Ojo-Olayisade, affectionately known as JAYTEE, emphasized the imperative for Africans to rise to the challenges confronting the continent, stressing Alluvium’s commitment to nurturing young African minds for technological prowess.
The journey commenced with a vibrant tech session in Nairobi, Kenya’s bustling capital, where eager tech enthusiasts and budding startups converged under the guidance of community leader Michael Kimathi. Here, the talented Alluvium team, both physically and virtually present, shared insights and inspired attendees with their innovative models.
In a subsequent engagement in Meru, led by community leader Kelvin Tuie, Ojo-Olayisade delivered a compelling discourse on IT service management, urging African youth to collaborate in solving the continent’s challenges. He underscored the importance of intra-African communication and global connectivity, emphasizing that Africa’s development hinges on its ability to surmount obstacles collectively.
“We must work, we have to work, we are coming from a place of disadvantage and we must find a way of going from behind to the front. It is not going to happen by miracle, we just have to work to get this achieved. In Alluvium, we work really hard. What we have is our own hands and what we can do for ourselves. Hands must get dirty for the dollars to come, and when the dollars come, don’t lose the handwork and the humility. It is not given to our generation to have fun, our grandchildren will have the fun, but for us, we have to first get ourselves out of the mess”.
Ojo-Olayisade’s impassioned plea resonated throughout the technical session, where he drew parallels from Alluvium’s operational ethos, characterized by a collaborative approach among employees. He highlighted the company’s unique interview process, which assesses candidates’ problem-solving skills and teamwork aptitude, essential for tackling Africa’s multifaceted challenges.
“Our interview process is always very interesting. We bring a lot of young people together and give them problems that has no solution and see how they deal with them. Some of those who want to be smart will cover their works and would not want others to copy them, but some would show the readiness to work with others, and from there we pick what we want. To solve African problem requires a concerted effort and this is where these young amazing young Africans in Alluvium come in everyday to dismantle the huge challenges” stated Olayisade.
He further said “the challenges that we face in Africa, nobody will solve the problems for us. We will solve them by ourselves. Because they are unique and peculiar to us and many of the interventions of the foreign countries are based on assumptions. They don’t understand them. Having spent decades in the UK, coming to establish a company in Nigeria, we had to adapt. Yes! The African continent has to address communication, travels and make sure that interaction between everyone is seamless. The very day we can connect Africa up with anywhere anytime and any day, without security issues, transport issues and other concerns is the very day our actual development starts.”
Raphael Muritala, echoing Ojo-Olayisade’s sentiments, lauded Alluvium for providing ample opportunities for personal and professional growth. He emphasized the company’s culture of openness and familial camaraderie, fostering a conducive environment for knowledge exchange and innovation.
Lewis Tanguhwar, another key figure at Alluvium, underscored the role of community-driven solutions in problem-solving, citing Atlassian’s suite of products as an exemplar. He emphasized the importance of sharing experiences and best practices within the community, enabling collective learning and optimization of resources.
