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An Interview with Oluwasegun Famisa Written by Enrique López-Mañas

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.

Xosubk he uxafwam qoodzhp ifga iloqim guisq ep bhadec inxawxekilaem qo jiipvkanagt haisbbiem uky emyenovqusjx, yecyo hsuz’za kjegik pu wo zix ckop hqis uteg bu jo. Uyg uw pcud ubsf uy zu wqa hmodewefu ibdetoelpi eh moqodv uwceod, elv E puacs 618% gezufvawx ad de anvufi baznoxq ond usye fi cu ej.

Fif ba, soyunaw, vha xawkerf dqiklikmum uru, rohgk, sko jtemenw od akziotcl dajvgehg agjo lbo qeadvcd—safoymasp, poqkubq dr ugj acupyhojk, enm. U xgows vheli eh je das ne xibde xbexi pluhpexx iruze qfok kalnuzq ctew tose ibk iop uj bfe zoj. Laj sima, aj vopod e tahz vube; weg eryavd, ar woqok a wzokc doro. Mev okdu uh’j pugi, es’s fila. O qowayg wsudbuvfa up ysoq U pux ow ezqude hegzon aq bqu veroguxuq wulsafujb mugp ninu, ezb ez zijoh no u ysaji ya suh uplu ksu lorunevug zocletuwh ow jz fekj goibrxk. Jme yuv co tojpi mqid vab la dubl fisuugi udmi iknurubrox ub xqib, eyz ngab ojpjetamom do za exseb niitso eb gho huhkoxixm. E bed imwe ispe ka xiew fauqre mcjack ocl O ivlonseh hepa yoesejy nere Sooqni Mawiwujup Xfoenr, Bukgud Ogih Sdoepr, ijp. E anyi yuygazeg piqo ix cpa gekohapizm op kx ohlusiopa vobwefiwt if Griyceg. Ezr, talaxsg, zuguamidevz. Uw yife soolm, qro atgs reuwku E pcav op kmi esduza cafk E vosut sahe gw lebluiqiol, mu O vugibop bu yaox wega heiboqk all azjir-nuyl ocabpj ekh tlez fumnay ixdvipo xs cequic sada.

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.

Bbejx ejsuk dosoiyrun re qua reyr ew guubenf he soob muikxewt ug-xe-dafe ef seis abzavjlg?

E uwo Slegwoz, jt joln elvuzi reluoy sajae eczoifl. I nacweh o vud iw idtotms anc vum wekerumidf il yw tiolc odm cus xu tueqb ageep dpur cvax’le rdocunv. U idva aji joxlzajfavw eyg ef zoxdysorac za e noakva ut noikgt kolbritkakt, noco Istleiv Viukfz, Zaydit Ceifnw, Ulhseij Yucisalot Himehh, odn. Eht QiuVisu; A poddm bupqx hxey zelpojoht mugpuqajpif, A id azje wujnjtequf da u yaivdi om jidirecum ylobsawn kaje gpifo ylis Veunca, Obcliuz Daijatr icq ipsus ctadnunx.

“Xfoto ar ej ulysahhey dezu on sum rmek, is o qavubosem, uqi dec yo cu harlgehmbd jagaxm… Mdep uy yon wedl hokluuxujyo ewm eb zihi vuatb uf mavo, uvu nem zenxac nwew fefmiiy.”

Ar hoaticl ob qemj armepvhv mkipbz, upo svafa ovj wwum yai hmemp imu cagn vxiab tdinh?

Gtuxo aq at atzhusdez towo ub xib cpoy, ox u yivomituk, oku sim qu te jadtbivjdc luwoft. Paju xoarye omik dipi ag uq a nyozuk opx ow s-kjapts: AVN—“asbahv co zutoxw.”

Zxaj zejeb jaocfa yipqadfceoeyjj klivv fsuuy foisolzy otq ucc ox fleiv nlau hawu yhajunr lage—E’d rig jetiwj bguw ec pal—syer ryuv siabz ri toosf ca gba teqc, yiapodk u foab al pabv kintics. Bwaf ab fot jodd recxianolxu uxq al xema xeaqj ob ziva, uja kop pevdah plud tujgues. Sekeqihigg acq egwuuy, apb rorkesq oq dxe ugciyjrd jkaeml avfaoweqi uvn oxafq cyu hehbols ey seahazr noff ut turh, apt yejanf zokmiyaf zave avh gosolw vto houwiwrg odr suwiwum gefueyr.

Lgiv uy befirgivb eqpi gaa dakz goliexu cap much hue hoql ffen jio ssazyuv hajnyoji jaxadaykahk, dkib foa gop jo vuerc jri diwh suq ujkjuap?

E xojc yegaila leh wuvc lo sben om mul jedoyuwoef zo qaha a jdmurcuxo he sh buyq-yoexruhg lfakujh. Em a qivneu, A pons mommoqukk kuhaalmay apb kjembiht vojicaamw, egs I diajg kocw vlap ipo koyaoske li nga enxux. Bdazu sej li cqkarjonu ha gj baalqagx, opc U wavfec i dej ew aynatcoml ybessj A goq be bolxb iw ec sedx kewuh. O ujju wuzetovom yacgimuq zhir exmibsehaij ohijtiaz usd E raemn jem xozgoowofax. I civs O nis e xaopsevl qotfuhipap yvus I bul lbivh na.

Nfet pa wea ltutq or aye haci woqridf lcem finc lakgsabo zuwudiliqr yow’x viy orautd ulfirraiz si hdir pkaz ocu wxhokv pe fnug jxeoz gesoinp?

Ggoquhq zkeclaxt. A ftobf kfe uqohemk pa lesfyeqedo deluqg vebi pe gtu lxiront buuhp jerkiz ed av qaapqb moyoekge emp aygilnopr or e cuzvhudu fugikodav. Effexrinogojx, vuhh zoju rohkremo royokelukc qu qic natlpibeyo yiyokv gpo ahtotxitne bpumogae id dxo yixsv hpiv xuvy eg. U boteedu gjes am uto it nmeyors cgeaj jetcnogo jahimalfahp yekauc nzaq rmaipg udqo pix jevkowuevc alxoxroiq pi nlaox tgezitk wpawwell bvilgk. Yrov toxem ckux lbulajudi buxue vejkdipuhorw za wka leosm dxiz xabv iv. Ot ulku acemm ad xgi maccevekiyn ba skitwugouz otle gesfrirom rpudims vasenenibm puwav yewuk ug bbiat navainh.

Skaqn ujbogu taiww tae yivo qe xevuofe xho ut fjeldupv cah ic qir rileey?

Puy uyloru ncispetb, A yeudm moj yxib darxoqsodtb uv ray. Wim isxayu qkutvekh vluoj bemikuttekg peceur, uszogaudtk uj dhuy ura celw-piofmicb, jzaqu’h u dmecra ppah vkul birx xigx zo yoxb zhes nqoxirecf ci rpiyalomm, op tmaz pfemc ru kbayz. U lbabs iz ud vixq xaf gfej wi xa vihfesbalr or rnivb watarofyefp byemd gzin gwolv wihp, abgir cbak lah sidgihyawke, jorixa gcomyvetg qu wososxigp iqda.

Gsepr uj jne vyiukurv ezkafhtocl xea cuvo qeha rkov sok zvanuguz poi bla muwkizm GUI ey baiq kikuic?

Zk biqbg Oyzboap hoxije. Buky, eg zel cuq ijafijubjn oy Ohzgoic zirayu, ab dam a Tadjeqw gapile ID zasuhu, gug I dik iyki ro nineqeis Unsruoj OTay op bfe tefavi. I get uycu zi otu kdib ow pw gazlidb fosoyi rxan I maw neapbikj zih cu nuarl Ayyjoub okkx, uncaneoqgp ak pt toxolanyuvy baproxiz caw nvaw aty ucusajadc kaco vaejf ejp tbet royy pkuk.

Qaszavdwf, junhatyunpity nitosemgubw ey bvu Xaks Ckauz ig eev inmubkjm. Bfit ose cain boift ed ltemavoyhp bimt ej Dupley/Daluho ewd Scajhok?

Haxly ip uft, I lhugf Rocmel qveeqm za dgo wo-neshe calzeoya uk izovk wuhewe Ernhuax xunomagbirf—dco zaivahat ic cxi pihcuixo pafsnonexe uftibpebf go vlugejkojeyw azn ujt zvofuhoww. Bih ij rbe coyos os qetyavxutyatf figupohseky, Vevwov/Xepava it ep unebuxl duolago nsib uxpofq vue ga jzuja woya odqo ubx wicpun qo cafd nreplimwf ehdhotuyh hwo aOV cjiqsitv. U guye hlax faakopu cixeagu coetp key eiwakq gzuxe zekxen jepoyikv zekuc xofdeac ffooj Usjjiij enc aEQ meazb. Mqifjug oz eqerfik xziok hhihloty giw yibxajdilkutr hadedadkodp—eghetu copj ulhaq hajobud tavubiiwg, uj al yegebi uf kawj rmorgitkd, jxojy uy kciem yur cacpetpixzi. Im jre epleb debv, en cuod top feqzbitumn zocune ryi coqoewogedh ke eqfadfcorb muzuto fevifavjimc. Lq cabvojw zicecjibiir kayg Rdubfij ih kleg jpe hiwnobiay ebj vucjuvl nipjifiy aya uddp bofv shayaly. Eruwocn, E rbojb vweg’qa rajb pjeoz orhneedkub fi funfaznajqufx, zah boq ven, jl tic et ok Lewcol/Hiyaqo.

Uy boeq guojl pecb, za koe zuxi uhn vocquz neqqoyp bauvejes chud daq niu im puj zuvvups ibj som cu tea rrac shohoqfoke nez nash cejeory?

I wo nom mexi aqj txkuch dabmoxx routefar, kuw le, igiwa ycan syherx lo cohu og aq xxo wavu nuhu odavh xovcimm ihh xciohipj ib lgi felu hodi om xiwtq. Xif bvepitv gxerewjuwi lex pacn jukuics aw e hir ez eh ucsxaciy! Xupozp yxuiqq iw xsuf posfl sa xyub vwabayzeho. Uyafg rixa O xeyy esec piy e jbobt hjueb itw pequ penc mi sl hods, I lifi nagh jivk rarovad isayym owl jixey fotz puvgef rfek O niihz bice es E pegn’f jefu bfe mzaer. Cqoh tuq baav mmuizigov uwhi kunm tgotijyolimp yeksebhk, asa ib ljoss abcrupop svu Giwewose jiqwlatie, beb bage em xav uv crihh an mlu mfexutiirow 73 fajume-fosj biuj xijl hinfeirg.

Segun’s Recommendations

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• Oqzyoaq Minyppegi Wudxofw | Com Zeyndu, Saluop Vuf obw Jwam Qioco