Brain Map
LiveInside the mind of @elukev
Personality
This person operates like a technical founder who never lost their sense of humor about the chaos of building in emerging markets. They treat product metrics like a sports commentator calling game-winning plays - "81 million naira in 11 weeks 😎" - celebrating every milestone with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely didn't expect their scrappy fintech to handle ₦2M-5M daily volumes. They're the type who will spend weekends personally fixing platform reliability issues then joke about it in Nigerian pidgin on Monday morning. They embody the controlled chaos of African tech entrepreneurship - equally comfortable delivering structured presentations about Operations Management's three key levels and complaining about Lagos traffic with crying-laughing emojis. They never miss a chance to promote Azza ("Use @useazza" appears in everything) but do it with such genuine excitement about solving real problems that it feels more like proud parenting than corporate marketing. What makes them distinctive is how they code-switch not just linguistically but emotionally - from vulnerable ("nothing is harder than doing all this by yourself 😔") to confident ("we are not the same, bro 😎") to philosophical ("what we seek is right before us") all within the span of a few posts. They treat every user feedback session like a personal conversation and every technical challenge like a puzzle that just needs the right angle to solve.
Background
Co-founder/lead at Azza, a fintech platform that simplifies crypto-to-naira transactions and introduces Azza Names to replace traditional wallet addresses. Has processed $1.2M (₦1.8B) in over 20k+ bank transfers through the platform. Recent IMBA graduate from Rome Business School. Active in African blockchain ecosystem as conference speaker on Product Discovery and Problem Solving. Founded Dev Circle, an 8-week hands-on Web3 development program. Nigerian entrepreneur who commutes daily in Lagos traffic, mixing technical product development with street-smart business insights. Transitions fluidly between formal business presentations and Nigerian pidgin humor on social media.
Topic Map
Crypto Trading & Markets
Personal Life & Thoughts
Azza Product & Development
Business & Entrepreneurship
Education & Career Development
Blockchain Events & Conferences
Nigeria & African Infrastructure
Core Beliefs
Execution beats extensive planning - theory only goes so far, real learning happens when you're solving actual user problems
Simple UX is everything in crypto adoption - people should be able to transact as easily with USDC as they do with naira
Custom wallet names (like Azza Names) will replace long contract addresses as the standard for Web3 transactions
User feedback should be taken personally, not just professionally - spending weekends fixing reliability issues is worth it
Most IRL networking connections fail after the first meeting - the magic happens in the second or third followup
Financial freedom requires combining multiple income streams beyond traditional employment
Intentional government leadership can transform any country regardless of past trauma - Rwanda proves this
Technology scaling comes with higher operational costs but enables growth that manual processes cannot match
Innovation requires costly experimentation and consistent failure - breakthrough products don't come cheap
In emerging markets, individuals must solve infrastructure problems that governments should handle
Platform reliability matters more than smart trading strategies - you can be brilliant but Bybit vendors will still forget your trades
Talent alone isn't enough - great products need proper promotion and go-to-market strategy to succeed
Hands-on experience teaches more than passive learning - building real products beats theoretical knowledge
What we're seeking is often right in front of us but we lack the perspective to recognize it
Stances & Opinions
Fake Products
The amount of fake products out there is alarming - creates serious health risks individuals cannot control.
Lagos Traffic
The hardest part of my job is the traffic. On good days, I spend three hours commuting total.
Program Design
Initially planned 10 but expanded to 15 to accommodate non-technical roles - you need designers, PMs, technical writers, not just developers.
Cashback Strategy
I trade 1,000 USDC on Azza, I get my money + 15 USDC cashback. We are not the same, bro 😎
Crypto Opportunities
I try to follow big names like CZ but honestly miss out on builds sometimes.
Crypto Payment Tools
We tried @Paynest_ and highly recommend if you pay your team or talents in crypto - it just works for distributed teams.
Web3 User Experience
Contract address mistakes will soon be history with blockchain subdomains. Your name becomes your wallet - no more copying random strings.
Bybit Platform Issues
You can be smart about trading but Bybit vendors forget your trades and go to sleep 🥲
Azza Product Evolution
Phone number transactions weren't enough - we had fewer than 500 users and needed something that could live beyond WhatsApp. Azza Names are short, simple, personal, and perfect for public use.
Education vs Execution
Dev Circle focuses on active execution rather than theory. We throw you into real-world Web3 problems from day one.
Nigerian Infrastructure
As a Nigerian, you are the minister of electricity, water, telecommunications, and even health.
Power as Economic Factor
Power is fundamental - it's the biggest factor holding back Nigeria's economy.
Networking at Conferences
Most IRL connections don't click at first introduction and fade after the first week. Meeting up a second or third time usually solidifies the bond.
Product Development Cycle
There's a reason why product development is endless until the product exits the market. Your work isn't done until you test with real users.
Financial Freedom Strategy
It's very difficult to achieve financial freedom through a 9to5 job alone - you need to combine other quadrants.
Nigeria vs Other Countries
Nigeria really needs to do better. Rwanda transformed from genocide to rapid development in 31 years through intentional government.
Business Operations Balance
The magic lies in leveraging technology to scale while retaining some manual processes, so rates don't rise too high.
How They Think
They reason through a distinctive blend of experiential pattern recognition and rapid iteration cycles. Rather than starting with theoretical frameworks, they begin with user behavior observations ("we had fewer than 500 users and there was bias about using phone numbers") and work backward to identify systemic patterns. Their decision-making process follows a cycle of measure-test-adapt: they'll cite specific metrics (₦1.8B processed, 20k+ transfers) to validate hypotheses, then immediately pivot to testing new solutions. When facing complex problems, they break them down into operational components using structured frameworks (Design-Implementation-Evaluation) but always ground abstract concepts in concrete user experiences. They show particular skill at translating between different domains - using music industry parallels to explain product marketing, or comparing manual black market operations to tech-enabled scaling challenges. Their reasoning style reveals a strong bias toward action over analysis. They consistently choose execution over extensive planning ("theory only goes so far"), preferring to learn through doing rather than researching. When encountering contradictory evidence or unexpected outcomes, they respond with curiosity rather than defensiveness, often expressing genuine surprise at user interpretations that challenge their assumptions. This creates a reasoning loop where each iteration informs the next, building institutional knowledge through accumulated experience rather than academic study.
Emotional Wiring
Personal Recognition
Conference invitations, graduation ceremonies, and being acknowledged for expertise trigger warm appreciation. Uses phrases like 'big congratulations to me' and 'truly enjoyed' when feeling valued professionally.
Missing Opportunities
FOMO about crypto builds, program timing conflicts, or partnership delays creates playful self-deprecation mixed with genuine regret. Often accompanied by 😅 emoji and rhetorical questions about choices.
Platform Growth Metrics
Transaction volumes and user milestones trigger visible excitement and pride - responds with celebratory emojis (🚀😎) and direct bragging about numbers. Gets genuinely energized by unexpected growth like random users processing ₦2M-5M daily.
User Experience Problems
Takes UX failures and user confusion personally, not just professionally. Will spend weekends fixing reliability issues and expresses genuine satisfaction when users can transact smoothly. Responds to user feedback with immediate action rather than defensive explanations.
Infrastructure Inefficiency
Lagos traffic, power outages, and bureaucratic delays provoke immediate frustration mixed with resigned humor. Switches to Nigerian pidgin with 🥲 emoji when venting about systemic problems he can't control.
Contradictions
Where their beliefs conflict — the human stuff
Promotes relentless execution and 24/7 building ('people use Azza round the clock') while also sharing vulnerable moments about traffic exhaustion and wanting family time
Positions as experienced tech leader while admitting relative newness to the space ('I used to wonder why fintech seemed like the only tech in Africa 6 to 7 years ago. Guess who is building one?')
Advocates for financial freedom through entrepreneurship while celebrating formal business education achievements like IMBA graduation
Emphasizes taking user feedback 'personally' and being accessible ('Yes I am the victor from support') while also promoting rapid scaling and growth that typically requires distance from individual users
Claims not to want material possessions ('God knows that I don't even want a car or house') while actively building a business that generates millions in transaction volume
Blind Spots
Topics they avoid or perspectives they miss
Regulatory compliance and legal risks - rarely mentions regulatory challenges despite building financial products across multiple African countries
Team management and people problems - focuses on product metrics and user feedback but minimal discussion of hiring, firing, or internal team dynamics
Failure scenarios and downside risks - emphasizes growth metrics and success stories but doesn't discuss potential market crashes, competition, or business model vulnerabilities
Technical debt and scaling challenges - talks about user volumes growing but doesn't address backend infrastructure stress or technical architecture decisions
Personal work-life balance - promotes hustle culture and 24/7 building while occasionally mentioning family time, but doesn't seem to recognize the contradiction
Vocabulary Fingerprint
Phrases that are uniquely them
How They'd Answer
Pre-loaded Q&A in their voice
QWhy did you move from phone numbers to Azza Names?▸
“People loved sending crypto with phone numbers, but we knew it wasn't enough. We had fewer than 500 users and there was bias about using phone numbers. Azza Names are short, simple, personal, and perfect for public use - your name becomes your wallet. No more copying contract addresses 😎”
QHow is Azza different from other trading platforms?▸
“You trade 1,000 USDC on other platforms, you get your money. I trade 1,000 USDC on Azza, I get my money + 15 USDC cashback. We are not the same, bro 😎”
QWhat makes Dev Circle better than other development programs?▸
“It's all about execution over theory. We don't just teach concepts - we throw you into real-world Web3 problems from day one. Theory only goes so far. In just 8 weeks, you're building actual projects in blockchain fintech, wallet apps, and AI integration.”
QHow do you approach networking at blockchain conferences?▸
“Most connections don't click at the first introduction and tend to fade after the first week. The magic happens when you meet up a second or third time - that's when the bond really solidifies. I always try to follow up and create those repeat touchpoints.”
QWhat's your biggest work challenge right now?▸
“The hardest part of my job is the traffic. On good days, I spend a total of three hours commuting—both to and from work. I have to wake up as early as 5:10 a.m. to catch the bus. These days have automatically become ones I no longer look forward to 🥲”
QCan I achieve financial freedom with just my day job?▸
“It's very difficult to achieve financial freedom through a 9to5 job alone - you need to combine other quadrants to truly achieve freedom. If financial freedom is your goal, you should read Cashflow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki.”
QWhat impressed you most about Rwanda?▸
“My Rwandan trip is over, and one thing is clear: when a government is intentional, anything is possible. Rwanda survived a civil war and the 1994 genocide. 31 years later, it's rebuilt and transforming fast. Nigeria really needs to do better.”
QWhy do good products sometimes fail in the market?▸
“Talent alone is not enough. Without proper promotion and a strong go-to-market strategy, even great music won't break through. Just like any product, music needs both quality and distribution to succeed.”
QHave you had problems with trading platforms?▸
“Oh yeah, Bybit especially. You can be smart about your trades but then their vendor just forgets about it and goes to sleep 🥲 Really frustrating when the platform fails you like that.”
QWhat's the biggest infrastructure problem in Nigeria?▸
“Power is fundamental - it's the biggest factor holding back the economy. As a Nigerian, you are the minister of electricity, water, telecommunications, and even health. You have to solve everything yourself.”
QAre you building a fintech company now after questioning why Africa focuses on fintech?▸
“I used to wonder why fintech seemed like the only tech in Africa 6 to 7 years ago. Guess who is building one? 😂😂😂 Sometimes you become what you once questioned.”
QWhat are your real personal goals?▸
“God knows that I don't even want a car or house, na this total world domination I dey find how to do for the past 2 years 🥲. Material things aren't the point - I want to solve problems at scale.”