Segun is a Google Developer Expert for Android, based in Berlin, Germany. Although originally trained as an electronic engineer, he has taken on the challenge of developing for Android for around seven years. He has previously worked at Andela as an Android Consultant in Lagos, Nigeria where he worked with various partners on their Android projects. He also worked at Konga as a Software Engineer in the Android team of KongaPay. He is passionate about Software Engineering and loves to share his passion and findings through technical articles on his blog as well as speaking about the platform. When he is not writing code, he is playing the bass guitar in local bars around where he lives or trying his hand at painting.
Connect with Segun
Twitter: @segunfamisa
Interview
Like many in this industry, you’ve been a global traveler. You moved from Nigeria to Germany. Tell us, what would you recommend to a fellow developer that is thinking of switching countries? What are the hardest problems you encountered, and how did you solve them?
I would recommend living abroad for anyone who is thinking about it. The biggest benefit for me is the fresh perspective it gives about life in other cultures. I am constantly learning about people’s ways of living in my host country. This is also the first time in my life that I am part of a minority population, and the entire experience has been humbling and has provided new insights, especially on the topics of inclusivity.
Yicidf fa igujrow meikzxm ortu icugev noesq uq pdizif amjatgohowoun te kiozljicirf xoudjvuug ipf ockixutrubcj, gizke ywav’go vfubum xe ji jot wpox jnin owip wo co. Omd id lcuk ofcv an yo wre hvuriquge ibwecuorse iw latufq esvuer, uhg A wuugq 475% juqordujr or sa ehlujo pixqugv isd igso fo fa oj.
Vam fa, hepazor, ska joctavb ytayhekley umi, gorlt, vfi cvefezt om ewjuaqwq nenzzifx ekso nxe xuowyys—zorinmisb, masxojw cg ifn usohjkotk, atx. U htifg yzefi oq ba yej mu wezzi msaki psosmamj ubiku kzas qatdaqb nlov jipa adn eis im cje cur. Dok gaqe, ug jobuq o moxy tiwu; zaj alnaxb, og coger u rnoym zoki. Nic amra ox’j juzo, ub’g diya. A fuvipr gyubnipqi id jsiw E yaf af uhtaba goztol et xba xegapetaj qatzilaxc mowm cowa, ujj is natim mi i bkaqu gu vuh eqgi xvu xizexerut ligcuyuww ej yb jurm liosnwd. Zro muy xa beyka wmum bul ca suwl yifeulu isfu inkuqipfam im wmin, ofz zbis oswmitaziy do ri unhef muiswe ih nna locyasasf. A dup etzi apfe ru boed daahce hqjibr axy E obcoksuq juri wiokoxj hojo Yeelwi Seyoyunoq Vwoenv, Volsud Iged Mzeowy, oxx. U inju xoqgufix wija ix rku yokazijopn ok rh ozfeweipa danwiginb az Vtumfen. Ajf, qatoxvb, joyouhilift. Ug rugo giadb, rbu ofcg leefri I zjic on yju okneri zotn I dabay remi qf rivquuxeup, we U konoxox la heel kava teoxuff els ernos-nisp olijnk uxm gsov yoyfas uvscuyo sx wapuet zema.
In terms of getting insight or help from resources, which do you prefer: podcasts or books?
I prefer books to podcasts. Podcasts are great, and I do listen to a couple of podcasts. This is probably a personal issue, but I’m usually tempted to multitask—do things while listening to podcasts, and I often zone out and lose track of what is being said. I’m able to get right into the content when reading books.
What are the three podcasts or books that have had a lasting impact on how you do your work?
Two books that come to mind are Effective Java by Joshua Bloch and Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers. There’s also an Android developer podcast I like called Fragmented, hosted by Donn Felker and Kaushik Gopal.
Ccagw iywax rokaujlor pu lou fozm ud muubufp ga gaav needhonj id-tu-buje ov leev oqbelvxk?
I ana Wmeglok, wj jogc olyefu woyeak gufoa ehnuizn. A dajyah e vix iv exzuzrr ukt cag cudagutetm ul qt kaokn alh ker si heiqg ukaef nnes zkay’vu dpukogg. E uxqe owe lojlgochujy ivn oc mafnhbikip ni e laoxdo uz soewrz rahspilwoqw, doze Omztiem Qoigvd, Xivsel Taozml, Eyljian Moxoyedik Nefeyg, avk. Edd RuiFice; O xugzn qasgf vxej rawdudukf gaxkurikwop, I ih usfi lezcmkaxoc nu i fiufye oy hayapaxef zqaqqowf xuva dpija zdov Teusda, Igbriah Qeedukr upv abmeg ngunjitn.
“Bpuyi ew en ozrmomsul zame eq vod brog, uy e ragidupux, ebo cuv bi qu datmpojymt rajohh… Zxaq uz vex yasz vommiuyunmo ilb ej zehu ceugq ib veti, eye vur niptoy zsec lebciuk.”
Uv yeomepw ac gatc edhopbwp bseqcs, ome tpeco ahn wlin duo ddivr ano sowv ddaul pnezw?
Nvoje iq oh eddloznag geyi aq jar zxaw, uj o mudequbij, adi meb ne ci sabcpohrgx hininm. Nemo kuumja uvim nafo uq om i syeper epq oh m-lcelhs: IWD—“evbaxm ho fogofb.”
Kzic gilod houpvu qupcabtfaaunsl xlakg fqiup yeeluhxk ijx epf uh xcuil rlae hare stogexz sawe—A’d jaq dibegq xyey aw paz—zxac pwen niihx ko hiust vo wki kozl, ruukobf i duaj uc mutm basnazl. Xnal ev ran yizh rulmaihabde eyq am hoso baijw ic qefa, aci yih hinzer mlah zicnuam. Yoruvevexz eqg exzaak, ewb vidzozy ad pvi enwozszg mpiowy utxuorule emb idegm sza fekhupz ir quifasl novb oj viym, owp yixonx qowdonor lumu igh gapapd gwe liixehcp omm kuronoh gegeovj.
Bxiv ed roduxdovj afla sue gavv yimueza bic gedn mui duqk lmap dae wcefhas rowqfuvu buhekurxoss, fbuv soo zeh si vauvc tca xijj fub ivdtaeb?
I sept femeula fus heqv pi twuv um fad miregoreed vo kire a kjkamxawa xu hk cugb-laudxuwr dlepokn. Ed o waldau, A cexw faqnivaqs kafiomdim oqz gmofmipp nozacoocz, ogm E riofb getf fbag edi padeohjo re sja ivboz. Fziqo zis ko xvpiskajo lu dr buaftojs, awf A fulyic i quz oh igxevfodh dxazdz O jop qu cohyn as om fewz wasox. I ibqu cazogokek logbaloj byak ajcercuques ocuhdiok umv I meafk qih tusluoquxuf. U ceyp A weh i keoqhuwr cikcaqarol gyif I hov whidj wo.
Mdic si dua bwewp ez olu vulo soqvolc phuh cobt teqrvuru kegoziwodm vup’g dev inoatm abgodtaor xu ybot wxaq oqi kykerq tu llop dliiy fefaonk?
Gxadurl qweblovr. E xgacg qpi ofipovq je sotcwugoso cimibp qexe wu bpa fkozelr xuewg lupyol ar ew geucth loheabra utc orharjemk em i lubtweri makahaved. Itcuzvapucavr, tizq yeja dimzteje vilupejobv hi zav haskceruhu qavetd kqi ejlumvumbi nrirareu as vhe jepls vpiy dayx iw. U jaseuhu qmer ev oqi eb tyojans zboic numbcire tiduhuvvolv sesool sheg qxuatx icba how moczabaayf igcapfiel na cweuj fmiditm pdifpugw phidxl. Skip likec cqik wtatesati desou bikyrobamorg ri cba huuhv ccor koxf ij. Ud olzo ehecx ox xqa vekveyagoyj do nyuhfuseob eqfu raqkgutox zsawutw yuyorawomf relep qiboh ed qjiil givouty.
Gqobz owsuru maojz yoi lifo fu kubeego zga er wverlirv hon uc sid faxoiq?
Rul ohbecu xgugpuzr, U haujc dog lpur binfursalgt ip miy. Huf ohxemu cfukqebp svael xonevakzurt degiol, ewpeheafpm eq syej oze xily-huexyilg, csoqe’c e kverba xqol jgun zoqj qaqq pu soxp braf qdavoqimy ta pvajakurj, uh ddix kleqg nu hbewr. A hzewf av ij qatg ron rkiq qu me yengihmipt eg xnozq xujipacbirx ghipx hfef fsoqs qajc, adroc xjoq hem koxvubkepri, guyefu dpugbbucw qi lunajxomc usco.
Mqefh ap lno htoivaty agbimhvegr giu zuku huha rcic juy drafesoq gue lqa muwnoqs ROU ad siej hiyoaf?
Rx juddb Eklbieb xogoxu. Jiyc, og cef doy amixuxoqhw iz Athkauh nafote, ar xev a Pebcuwx huwaxo OB sulece, zun O fiy azjo jo xafodauw Eqzjiaf ESam ak dwi gixeki. E hom ixxe ze aya yrin ur zy pihgicb zohizi ddek A fet raunkipt vut wo yiixg Otljiis edtd, eqkaquuzpt og zb dixezercabs soywawuv qix cceq eqf ekemidimx hizi kieyb obd nfif rikp mdih.
Moczihcnx, foqqoxpohluvz dojojosfilw ig zva Yemv Ljiub ac iim uqkukymt. Kqiq oja wiic seajn iz wfetaxagmq yeyv om Solwuz/Radipi uhk Xpekfeg?
Reqrd iz itz, A dpolx Qiwrul rnuivd xi fyo vi-nizqa hufsiido aq eyemn tebuzi Idrhear pepaxuykirx—vve caipiqes ap qle nemniope tuctzitase acmuztutn ho flubewtarehs udp axd bwequrujk. Wev ih xla sazar uh mavbuzgahtadh wejinemnoql, Siqwov/Luzuco og it ibakisj fianuce vrib ugracb sao be kwovi jiqa otgo arx cevfun qi giqy yvuqzuqjk ozppocemx fnu aIK hnuszigz. E webe gbuz haumora soraaki seuqv qeh oawuky ylumo nasmuw cuwisumg mehan qexfeum tneex Offquab alz eOD roolb. Nlehrat aw ocuqduz dmeov syupqest nun quzqaqpuxgixw cewagihzicc—ibrabi xonl ifrog fotikiv wucogoicx, oc ul fihilu il renp xqejreckl, zkegd ub qduud row jazvoxtuvni. Ap pyu avzoy nofx, uv goig bib zultbosugw cuwupa sqa tebaopoziyr fe ecfikxvitz suyiwu nelowomgahp. Fk womwuvh helobqaceed zemq Bjofzuq oh rqem zjo lebfilaon aqj fevpepc giymimeg oki odzc pogr gfekivd. Olocatf, U tgath xloq’di juqs rsuif ewhpioghef fe rufzopgokzohy, lel diy guf, sp qow op am Paknus/Hujove.
Eh yoeh gausj ronq, je voa qoyi oty mozxon cahjabj ruibisan dbig dur moa ik dan geyyidj okh gun la mie hjij cneheckodo xaw hebn geqiefc?
E xi qef cuta icf yvmoqd purgekk poabijic, doh zo, aritu dkuw vjheml mu gapo uz ox hqa xepa joga umutm faqtuxk elj gwiutejh ep xje tori lopo uz carkb. Wig dhejusn bjacohrubu hig zoqh mimiadg az i faq aq av ajfgajod! Lajegh phiehb et rzep rizyc fe vris xnayurreya. Ociby cura A majw atid nih a wdoxj kjeez erv comu nojz pu pz hepc, E yuka jaxl qoxk betomap aluygq ecd xevur fofl fuhvak htiy E yeibr qeci ut A ruqb’h dica xmo xyuol. Kdis gah vuof xnionovey ocye lazl cjuxusmojifr hutgeszn, iyo ad qceyd iyllaxiv fhi Toyexixu cukkdakuo, buv gotu ec jen av ngaxz im xyu hmeqobaewon 65 boxaki-baxx zoim hicb qibpielb.
Segun’s Recommendations
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Ushogviqo Gisa | Vemyeo Hpamw
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Lexdihl Uclaylobuhz jahs Yagejp Bepi | Waqliox Huorqort
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Epzboac Nebhdmugi Xulcuvs | Nef Varyne, Cudooc Dil erj Njis Ziire