Meet Chinasa! He is a Node.js and React.JS Developer on the Computan team. In this installment of Behind The Coding Chinasa talks to us about different aspects of culture in his native land of Nigeria, his interest in football and why he is going to quit being an engineer in a few years.
Hi Chinasa! What are the last 3 things you Googled and why?
Hi Sajeel! The first thing I Googled was about React JS resources.
Not really a huge surprise there. Can you tell me why?
For two reasons. One for a project I am working on and one for research!
Research? Sounds interesting.
Yes, I am comparing Knockout.JS JS with React JS.
What are you noticing about the difference between the two?
I am trying to figure out why people would use Knockout.JS at all 😊.
What do you mean by that?
React JS performs better than Knockout.JS. I was trying to figure out why people use Knockout.JS at all 😊.
Knockout.JS is pretty popular though Chinasa.
Popular doesn’t mean good Sajeel.
Ok ok! Understood. What else have you been Googling?
I was reading about the Presidential election in Nigeria
What specifically about the Presidential election?
I was following the election, politics and the court proceedings. I like Nigerian and American politics.
Why specifically Nigerian and American politics?
Politics is a game. Like chess but in real life
That’s an interesting perspective. Have you always felt this way?
I have been interested in politics for a long time. I actually have a plan to join politics later in life. Maybe at 40 or 45.
Really? You want to retire from being a developer and go work for the Government?
Hahahaha. Yes sort of?
What kind of politics?
Maybe I will start with local politics and hopefully I can grow from there. Maybe I will start with local politics and grow from there.
Does anything concern you about politics?
Yes. Many politicians are corrupt and maybe I will have to adjust my standards.
Very interesting Chinasa! What was the third thing you were Googling?
Football/soccer news
I see! Who is your team?
I am a big Chelsea fan.
Do you like football?
Yeah it’s a huge part of my life. I used to play a lot when I was younger. I wanted to play for the Nigerian football team. I feel I got pretty close!
Wow! You were that good?
I was pretty good if I may so myself yes.
Why did you stop?
My parents thought it would be good to pursue engineering because it was a safer option. Which is true in many ways!
Who are 3 people you'd like to have a dinner with at the same time and why?
I have 3 people in mind. One is my dad. He has been a huge supporter of mine all my life and I would be honoured to have a dinner with him.
That sounds really nice Chinasa. Who else would be at your dinner?
Peter Gregory Obi – The former Governor of Anambra state, Nigeria.
What makes you a fan of Governor Obi?
He is one of the very few sincere politicians I have seen. That’s my opinion. He is honest and a man of integrity.
Ok! Who else?
Jordan Peterson. You might know him!
The Canadian Psychologist you mean?
Yes! He seems very intelligent about many things. By the way, what is your opinion about him Sajeel?
This is your interview Chinasa! Not mine 😊.
I know, but I am curious what you think about him.
I honestly don’t know enough about him to form a fair opinion. I know he strikes a lot of positive and negative emotions in people. Which means he sounds controversial. Is that right?
Yes definitely. He is controversial and not everything he says is good.
You could say that about every person in the world probably
True. I think with all people we need to take some and leave some.
Take some and leave some. What do you mean by that?
I mean try and take the good from them and whatever imperfections they have you probably should just let them have those and appreciate that you don’t have those imperfections and have your own other ones instead.
I like that! What would you eat?
We’d probably eat rice and vegetable stew. That way if anyone was a vegetarian they could be accommodated.
Very thoughtful. When was the last time you cried tears of laughter?
I can’t remember the last time I cried tears of laughter. I guess my eyes don’t water that easily. But, the last time I got tears of joy was when I got a my first job as a young engineer.
You weren’t a software engineer to begin with right?
No I wasn’t. I was in electrical engineering. I installed and supported energy meters on buildings, industries and communities. Then I changed my career.
So what do you love about Coding then Chinasa?
I love everything! I love to solve problems. I changed my career from electrical engineering to coding so I could solve problems. The feeling with solving a problem is great. The joy you get after solving a problem is what I love the most. It is much easier than solving real-life problems!
No doubt about that. When was the first time you saw a computer?
When I was in Primary School. I didn’t think anything special of it. It was a desktop computer and they didn’t even turn the computer on.
They showed the students a desktop computer and didn’t turn it on? Why not?
It was an old computer and I don’t think the teacher knew how to turn it on even!
So it was brought in just for show?
Yeah exactly! Just to show us ‘this is what a computer looks like.’
And here you are several years later working as a software engineer.
Yes! But that was my first experience with a computer.
What is something your teammates don't know about you?
They don’t know a lot about me. I am an introvert. I like my space and my work.
I wouldn’t call you an introvert Chinasa.
I am an introvert, but I am jovial!
I would agree with that. What else don’t they know about you? Probably about your football skills.
Yes, I’m a football fan and used to play football a lot. I was a left winger!
