Why I Created Akaolu.com

It was sometime in 2014, shortly after my wedding. I had moved into my new home with my wife, leaving my parents. I moved within the same Rivers state but in different part of the state—Eliozu in Port Harcourt. This part of Port Harcourt provided me all the comfort and convenience I needed at the time. It was within the Port Harcourt city centre, closer to my workplace.

Having acquired several new home appliances to start a new home I needed experts to come fix them up for me. Since I was a new person in the area I didn’t know any skilled worker or technician around. When I needed a mason to come do some brick work for me I couldn’t find any. The worst was when I needed a plumber to come run the pipes and connect my washing machine.

After severally physically searching for a technician to do the work for me I decided to search through the internet for anyone around me yet I could not find! I searched for clear and concise DIYs but wasn’t really able to achieve anything with what I got from the internet—many of the examples were not made for Nigerian audience. I thought of how easy such internet searches are in other climes. Then I thought of how I can bring such solutions to Nigeria.

I thought of how I can create a web portal that will serve as a hub for all known skilled work in Nigeria. I thought of how much solution and ease this can bring. I thought of how this web portal can unlock the door of possibilities for skilled workers/technicians in Nigeria to showcase their jobs for free and be found wherever they are. I thought of a web portal where people can go to and search how to do stuff and get answers, and people can share skills and business experiences. I thought of a very interactive website—that is why akaolu has a Forum section.

I called my friend and brother Kenneth Obasi and shared the idea with him and he was greatly impressed. We immediately swung into action. He was to do the graphics while Eze Ugochukwu was to do the programming. By April 11, 2016 www.akaolu.com was launched on the worldwide web! There has being several challenges and hitches but today akaolu has come to stay. Many people are registering their businesses and there have being testimonies of call ups, search and find on the internet, and connections.

I therefore enjoin you to join other Nigerians to register and/use the platform to find solutions to your skilled work challenges. Cheers!