In the environment I lived in, (a small village called Gbagalape on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria), robotics was practically unheard of. Most kids had never even seen a robotics kit, let alone understood how to use one. But I couldn't let that stop me. I had to try. With no access to fancy kits or resources, I got creative. I downloaded schematics, and started pitching the idea to schools. I met with school owners and administrators, explaining how robotics could reshape the way kids think and learn. A few schools gave me a chance, and I stood in front of students and their parents with nothing but printed papers in my hands.

The kids' excitement was contagious. Their eyes lit up as I explained how robots worked, and I knew I had to do more. But there was one big problem: I didn't have a single robotics kit to show them. So, I did the only thing I could think of, I sold the best pair of shoes I owned to scrape together enough money to order my first robotics kit, When it finally arrived, I was overjoyed. I spent countless sleepless nights experimenting with it, learning everything I could. I was determined to master it so I could show kids what was possible.

Confident in my new knowledge, I started touring schools in Abuja, demonstrating the kit's potential. The kids were amazed, and their excitement fueled me. That's when Ideal Robotics was born.Not long after, I met Malik Gwandu, my co-founder and one of the most passionate and kindest people I've ever known. Together, we became a team on a mission. We went from school to school in Abuja, talking to anyone who would listen about STEM and robotics. We wanted kids to see what was possible to imagine a future where they could build, create, and solve problems.

Malik had this funny habit of saying, "Every time we walk into a supermarket, there's a 90% chance some kid will point at us and say, 'Hey, Mom, that's my robotics teacher!" And you know what? He was usually right. Those moments kept us going. After months of free workshops and school visits, we finally got our first paying client, Lela Blossom School. I'll never forget that feeling. It was like, "Okay, this is real, we're really doing this." We were in demand, but with growth came new challenges. Schools paid us at the end of the term, and I didn't have enough money to hire the team we needed.

I put out an ad, hoping someone would believe in what we were trying to do. And people did. A group of amazing people joined us, even though we couldn't promise much. We were paying each person just 50,000 Naira, it was all we could afford at the time. Malik and I weren't taking any pay; we poured everything back into the company.We rented a small office space with the little money we had. It was empty, with no chairs, no furniture, just a floor. Every morning, we'd sit on that floor, plan our day, and then head out to schools to teach. I made a promise to my team: I would never owe them a salary.

It wasn't easy to keep that promise, but I was determined. To make ends meet, I took on several side gigs, including playing the saxophone at a nightclub after work hours. Eventually, we managed to buy two chairs from Pantaker (A place where used items are sold).We had a rule: first come, first serve. As the founder, I was always the first to arrive, but I let my team take the seats. They deserved it more than I did. I couldn't ask for a better team, even in tough situations when we ran out of money for operations. My team members would use their own resources.

Shola, Queensley, Samuel, Victor, and Malik - these were the people who carried Ideal Robotics on their shoulders. They believed in the dream so much that they'd bring me food from home when they knew I hadn't eaten. I'll never forget their kindness.During one of our toughest times, I reached out to Faiz Bashir, the founder of FlexiSAF, who generously provided us with funds that kept us going and truly saved us. As we continued to grow, so did our impact. School owners began referring us to their friends who also ran schools, often saying, “You have to see what these kids are building!”

Parents joined in spreading the word, especially during summer camps, excited to share how their children were building robots, coding, designing mobile apps, and solving real-world problems. They wanted other kids to have the same empowering experience. It was inspiring to watch how word of mouth carried us forward. The biggest validation came when some of the schools we worked with began incorporating robotics into their curriculum. After seeing the impact it had on their students and how it sparked creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, they made it compulsory.

That was a huge win for us. What started as an extracurricular activity was now becoming a core part of education in some schools. We partnered with organizations like, Avion Innovation Hub, MTO Technologies, and the Discovery Museum to reach even more kids. During summer holidays, we ran intensive STEM and coding programs, teaching skills that many kids had never imagined. We also took them on excursions to various tech companies and organizations such as the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Flexisaf Edusoft.

Seeing their faces light up with curiosity and ambition was everything. One of our proudest moments was launching Code Quest, an annual coding competition that brought kids from different schools together. Watching them collaborate as a team, challenge themselves, and enhance their coding skills was truly inspiring.Another major milestone came when Castle Hill Academy, one of the schools we trained, surpassed more than 200 competitors to win the Most Innovative Project award at a STEM competition organized by the Nigerian federal government.

After eight years, Ideal Robotics had to shut down. It was one of the toughest experience I've had. Watching something I had built from scratch, something that touched so many lives, come to an end broke my heart. Closing the doors of Ideal Robotics was an incredibly difficult decision. Yet, through that setback, I found clarity.I realized that the impact we made on students, schools, and my team was only the beginning. I carry that same passion into this next chapter, working to empower even more young minds to dream, create, and innovate.

As I reflect on this journey, I am reminded of the people who stood by me, believed in me, and helped me keep going. My mom, whose unwavering support gave me the courage to dream big. My friend Sefater, who always encouraged me to keep pushing. Abdul-Malik, managing director of Cloud9, whose guidance and mentorship were invaluable, Mr. Thomas, and Samuel Kayode, whose friendship and support kept me grounded. To my team, Patience, Jessica, Keddy, Maxwell, Joes, Sushi, Florentina, Mildred, Chinedu, Chisom, my co-founder Malik, I am forever grateful. The dream did not end; it evolved. And so will I.