Africa is witnessing a time in history when a generation of young individuals is rising up to bring greatness to the continent and liberate it from the shackles of poverty. One such individual is John Obidi who, at 32, has become of the most influential young individuals in Nigeria.
Indeed, John has earned his stripes given the fact that he is an international speaker, community leader, personal development and spiritual trainer, online business and personal brand consultant, software company founder, a brand influencer and more.
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Through his influence, he has garnered a large following across all social media platforms and has become an authority in a community of young people looking to affect change in Africa.
But life has not always been this rosy for the inspiring social media expert. For someone who comes from an unfavourable background, Obidi’s success is nothing short of phenomenal. His story proves that with a clear vision in mind, hard work, and perseverance, a man can conquer the world.
How it all began
John Obidi was born in 1986 to a lower-middle-class family that could only afford the basic necessities of life. Nevertheless, his folks were willing to go the extra mile to support him up to college given the fact that he had demonstrated excellence in his academics from his childhood.
Eventually, Obidi attended college, obtaining a Computer Science degree from Benson Idahosa University, Benin City. In 2012, after graduating from college and working a couple of odd jobs in order to find his feet, he landed a job as a Web Developer and Programming Instructor in Benin City. This opportunity gave him the push he needed to advance his career to the next level. Though the new job wasn’t the dream job he craved for, he resolved to be dedicated to his work and leverage the opportunities around him.
He recalled his humble beginnings:
“The hustle was real, but I did it from my heart. I made sure I left an indelible mark on the heart of every single student who went through my class. I answered any and every question of whether or not it was a part of my job.”
-John Obidi
Big Break and Achievements
While working his day job, John Obidi began to expand his career prospects by building a career for himself in social media strategy, a field he knew would blow up in the future. He self-taught himself programming and social media strategy and eventually moved to Lagos, the hub of economic activities in Nigeria, to practice what he had learned.
Through hard work and grit, John Obidi learned the ropes of his career and honed his skills to marketable level. He launched ObidiSocial.com, a platform that leverages social media to create exposure and awareness for brands on the Internet.
It didn’t take long for him to start attracting high-paying jobs and clients including behemoth telecoms service MTN. As a result of his achievements, he was nominated for The Future Awards Africa, a prestigious award dubbed by Forbes as the “Nobel Prize for young Africans”.
A year later, he founded SmartBCamp, a community that levels the playing field for professionals across the country. Among Obidi’s many recognitions, he appeared on the list of the BusinessDay CEO Magazine Class of 2018; got nominated on Avance Media’s 100 Most Influential Young Nigerians in 2016; Won Avance Media’s 100 Most Influential Young Nigerians (Personal Development and Academia category) 2017.
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John Obidi has indeed set a standard for many youths in Nigeria to emulate. Given the progress he has made in empowering youths through the medium of social media, his status as one of the most influential young individuals in Nigeria is by no means farfetched.
Featured image source: Saga Gist
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