How Coding with a Nokia C1 in Nigeria Led to a Tech Job at Asana

“I once wrote C++ code… on paper, learning it line by line from a Nokia C1.”

That’s how Israel Adetunji’s tech journey began, not in Silicon Valley, not with a fancy laptop, but with a notebook, a shaky internet connection, and an unshakable curiosity.

Today, Israel is a Software Engineer at Asana in Canada, a content creator with a growing following on YouTube and Instagram, a podcast host, and the co-producer of a YouTube reality game show. Oh, and he models on the side. (Because why not?)

If that sounds like too many hats, Israel insists it all fits because he’s disciplined. “Everything has its place,” he says. And apparently, everything has its time too because somehow, between coding, creating, recording, and working out four times a week, he still finds time to binge movies, go to events, and attend parties.

The Discipline Behind the Hustle

When asked how he manages it all, Israel shrugs it off: planning and balance. He knows the secret isn’t about cutting out fun, it’s about structuring his days so the serious and the silly can coexist.

“I’ve always been like this,” he admits. “For as long as I can remember, if I want to do something, I just go at it.”

That drive showed up early. While most teenagers were busy playing games on their Nokias, Israel was using his to search programming tutorials. During the times when he didn't have access to the ICT lab at his boarding school, he didn’t stop learning; he wrote code. By hand. In a notebook.

Talk about commitment.

From OAU to Asana

Israel’s love for electronics started with unscrewing radios and peeking into circuit boards. His parents wanted a doctor, but he wanted something that combined electronics and computing. That curiosity led him to study Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University.

But classroom learning wasn’t enough. While strikes dragged on, Israel found edX courses and stayed glued to Havard's CS50 Introduction to Computer Science. By 200 level, he was freelancing with WordPress and applying for jobs (even when he barely knew what he was doing).

“I got rejected thousands of times,” he laughs. “But that’s how you build resilience.”

Eventually, resilience paid off. By his final year, Israel had offers from Amazon, Yelp, and Asana, securing his first international role before even graduating.

The Content Creator Side Quest

Coding might be his 9-to-5, but creating is his passion project. Israel runs a YouTube channel on tech, lifestyle, and travel, co-hosts the podcast Miles Apart in the Common Room with friends across three countries, and produces a YouTube reality game show.

To keep up, he built a system: an assistant to handle editing, AI tools like Captions AI for subtitles, and a content calendar that runs almost like a second job.

But don’t mistake it for workaholism. “It’s my way of chilling,” Israel says.

On Tech, AI, and Hot Takes

We asked Israel if AI will take his job, and guess what he said?

“Honestly, a lot of it is just marketing hype,” he says. “I already use AI every day, but I don’t think it’s replacing me anytime soon. It’s like every other tool, you adapt, you integrate, you keep moving.”

That pragmatism sums him up well. Israel doesn’t wait for perfect conditions; he applies, he experiments, he adapts.

And his advice to anyone starting out in tech?

- Research the field.

- Talk to people already in it.

- Build a roadmap.

- And apply (even before you feel ready).

“Don’t wait until you’re desperate,” he warns. “Just start.”

Bio

Israel Adetunji is a Nigerian software engineer and multi-platform creative currently working at Asana. Beyond his 9-to-5, he is a content creator exploring tech, lifestyle, and travel across Instagram and YouTube. He also interviews industry leaders on his channel, co-hosts the podcast Miles Apart in the Common Room, and runs a YouTube reality game show with friends. With a passion for philosophy, politics, and abstract ideas, Israel balances his many pursuits with discipline, curiosity, and a drive that has defined his journey from coding on a Nokia C1 in Nigeria to landing his dream role in global tech.