Launching OnePage is much more than launching a Startup to me.  It marks the beginning of my dream coming together…

After graduating from university and completing my national youth Service (NYSC), I was supposed to do the normal and get a job in a bank, telecommunication or oil companies but I did not, I wanted to chase the dream.  I just believed it was to be Silicon Valley or nothing. While my mates hung out, I stayed indoors watching the live stream of TechCrunch40, reading every post of Mike Arrington, following Scobliezer, reading the Google Story (where I got to know of Marissa Mayer and Amazon.com) wondering when I would have the chance to leave the dream, and get to meet my heroes (I eventually met both Marissa Mayer and Scobleizer in UK).

My mum eventually persuaded me to try the UK and take it as a route to the Valley (thanks Mum). So the SOLE reason for my leaving Nigeria to study in the UK was to try and get nearer to the Silicon Valley environment. While searching for the Start up community in UK, I got to know of Lastfm, Bebo and younger Startups like GroupSpaces, I read about their trip to the Valley. I then decided to see what I could make of UK. Immediately I got my admission to Warwick, the first thing I did was to create a Facebook group called University of Warwick Internet Entrepreneurs. After about a month, the group swelled to a grand total of 2 people (including myself). The other member was Joel Gascoigne with whom I later founded OnePage with.

A turning point came when I attended the TechCrunch Christmas party, and Launch in February this year I became a founding member of Vouchacha. I got to meet the men and women that make the start up community in UK tick. I saw that they were no different from me, I saw where I belonged. As time went on Joel and I realized we shared a common vision, and decided to do something together. After assessing numerous ideas, we decided on OnePage.

I stopped chasing the Silicon Valley dream when I was denied the opportunity to partake in Stanford’s Summer Institute for Entrepreneurship. Looking back, I think it is good I did not get it. I will have to make the best of the situation I find myself.

I always tell those that care to listen, my long-term goal is to inspire a new cadre of Nigerian entrepreneurs through education and mentorship. My short term goal is to be a successful Internet entrepreneur. For the long term goal to be achieved, the short term goal has to be attained. I have spoken to those I hope to mentor and they have given me the condition…”show me, don’t tell me”, which is exactly what I intend to do. I wholly believe in the potential of Nigerian youths despite the challenges we have. I am hopping I’ll be able to teach people from my experiences.

The next three weeks will be the most hectic of my life as I will be finishing up my Masters dissertation so I can then focus my full attention on OnePage. As a result, I will be totally cut off from Facebook, Twitter and my Blog. But I promise to reply each and everybody’s message once I return. If you would like to try out OnePage, please send an email to [email protected] to request an invite and one will be sent to you.

I really hope OnePage is successful and it wholly depends on your support. I am grateful to my God, parents, family, friends and everyone, for all the support and encouragement. Of course I am grateful to Twitter and Facebook, without which, I doubt I would have met my partners, Joel and Dan.

Now excuse me, I have the destiny train to catch!