There are days when showing up feels like the hardest thing in the world. Sometimes I wonder, “Does any of this really count, or am I just working hard only to end up in a place that doesn’t even matter to me?”
Life has taken on a different meaning for me after reading countless educational books, journals, and listening to all sorts of podcasts. Funny thing is, I was never that “smart kid” growing up. I absolutely hated math (seriously, what was with all those numbers?), and science wasn’t exactly my thing either. But technology? That’s always been my happy place.
I remember back in high school (JSS3), my school had this rule that you had to learn a craft during the holiday before entering SS1. My mum, being a computer teacher with the Air Force, had me exposed to tech pretty early. So naturally, I found myself at Computer Village in Ikeja at 15, learning how to repair computers. I started with laptops replacing keyboards, screens, doing some motherboard magic, you know, the basic stuff.
Eventually, I moved on to fixing Android phones. I remember figuring out how to open the ones with sealed backs using a blade mostly Samsungs. I even learned how to service motherboards with this special fuel material (you really get creative out there!). Just when I was about to dive into repairing I-Phones, school was around the corner, and I had to hit pause on this journey.
All of this, I did purely for passion, not because I had to. But here’s the thing: passion can only take you so far. Some days, I’m not motivated at all, but I keep showing up. Why? Because discipline trumps motivation every single time.
Life has a funny way of messing with your plans, right? Imagine you want to be this cool MTB rider, pulling off stunts and showing the world you’ve got skills. But after a lot of injuries, dedication, and your parents finally getting you your first bike, it breaks. Now, you’re stuck, not because you don’t want to keep going, but because the opportunity just doesn’t exist anymore. No equipment, no way to repair the bike and move on. Welcome to Nigeria, where not every kid gets the chance to live the life they envisioned, even if the dream was within reach. There’s always something ready to crush that vision.
A lot of kids don’t even think about going into cybercrime. But picture this: you’ve learned a tech skill, and no one recognizes you. It’s like being in a pitch-black room where you have a lighter but no fuel to spark it. Meanwhile, everyone around you is getting ahead, and before you know it, you’re tempted to take shortcuts. Suddenly, your dream feels fragile, like it could slip away at any moment. And all your energy shifts to chasing something else, something you never planned for, but now this seems like the only option left.
Cybercrime has blown up in Nigeria, with kids masking it behind crypto and forex so their parents can believe it’s something legit. You see us pulling up in baggy pants and expensive hoodies, but the truth is, even if some people are doing things the right way, only about 10% of the kids on the block are actually playing it straight.
I knew so many talented kids back in high school, ones who could’ve been brilliant and successful, if they had the right opportunities. But without those chances, they’ve had to rely on a mix of grace and hustle just to pull themselves out of the trenches. The thing is, life happens. If there was a survey asking people why they ended up doing things they never wanted to do, the answer would be simple: life pushed them to the wall.
Sure, some people have the strength to hang on and bounce back, but not everyone can hold on long enough. And that’s how you find them falling into the trap committing sins with an iPhone in hand. So, whose fault is that really?
I’m not writing this expecting anyone to change, to be honest. I’m not the best at what I do, Just out here playing CTFs, landing open gigs (like report writing or quick web app/API Pentests), Preparing for certifications, putting in my best daily and Alhamdulillah, I’m grateful for where God has placed me. It’s never been easy, though. I’m writing this because I hope the struggles don’t last long, and I pray those of us doing things the right way aren’t pushed to the wall. I’m still surviving, hoping for better days when I can leave this soil and plant myself somewhere else, growing into the life I’ve always dreamed of, no matter what age it happens. Even though I’m far from perfect, I’ll get there.
You know, sometimes I sit back and wonder, do successful people really end up doing what they originally envisioned? Or is it all just part of some grand strategy, like they accidentally followed the right path, and boom success happened?
There are days when my head is full of random thoughts things that I wouldn’t even dare say out loud. Sometimes it feels like my brain is running its own chaotic marathon, and I’m just here, trying to keep up. Is it all garbage? Maybe. But I’m writing this down anyway to tell my future self: “Yo, wherever this path leads, remember you made those choices!” Haha, life’s crazy unpredictable like that.
Success is like walking a tightrope one minute you’re balancing, and the next minute, you’re falling flat on your face. And you get back up, adjust your balance, and keep walking. But sometimes I wonder, what if I keep walking and never actually get to where I want to be? What if the finish line doesn’t even exist? I mean, how do you know if you’re on the right path when the path keeps shifting under your feet?
As I sit alone with these thoughts, it hits me: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” Yeah, Winston Churchill said that, and it feels more relevant than ever. Some days, it’s not about thriving, it’s just about surviving. You hope, you pray, you hustle, but deep down, you know life can flip on you at any moment. Sometimes it feels like a cosmic joke, like we’re all just winging it, trying not to trip over our own shoelaces.
And let’s be real: life isn’t always about chasing a dream with some perfect plan. There’s beauty in stumbling through the chaos, in the unpredictability of it all. Like, there’s a kind of poetry in knowing that success doesn’t always come from a master plan it comes from “embracing the mess.” You make choices, you face the consequences, and you learn to smile through the uncertainty. I mean, what else can you do, right?
But on those dark days, when it feels like the weight of the world is pushing me to the wall, I remind myself: I’m still here. “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow.” Some wise person on the internet probably said that, but it hits hard. Every setback, every mistake it’s all part of the process. The truth is, success isn’t linear. It’s like trying to navigate a maze in the dark, with no guarantee of ever finding the exit.
It’s kind of sad, actually. The dreams we have as kids can sometimes feel like distant memories, like they belong to someone else. We grow up, and reality kicks in. Opportunities slip away, life throws curveballs, and you find yourself questioning whether you even deserve the success you’re striving for. But here’s the thing, if I don’t get where I’m headed, it won’t be because I didn’t try. And in the end, that’s all that really matters.
To my future self: if you’re reading this and wondering how the hell you ended up wherever you are…just know, you made these choices. You might not have figured everything out, but guess what? “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.” So, as long as you’re happy, I think we’ll call it a win.
For now, I’ll keep walking this unpredictable path, knowing full well that I’m both terrified and excited to see where it leads. Because that’s what life is, A mix of fear, hope, hustle, and a whole lot of randomness.
Written By - “A trench kid” . ݁₊ 𓆉 . ݁𓇼˖ . ݁