It was sometime in 2002, during the early days of Nigerias GSM revolution, when mobile phones had just begun trending like the latest fashion accessory. One afternoon, my secretary ushered in a tall, lanky, fair-skinned young man, unmistakably of Fulani descent, whose warm smile and confident demeanor immediately stood out. He had come to assist me in navigating my newly acquired GSM phonean unfamiliar gadget I was still struggling to fully understand.
He introduced himself as Salihu, a fresh graduate who had just completed his National Youth Service Corps NYSC. Rather than join the long queue of job seekers, he chose a different pathbecoming self-employed by offering ICT support services to both low- and high-profile clients. He went by the trade name Mr. Blootooth not to be confused with the wireless technology Bluetooth, a nickname that soon became synonymous with innovation in Nigerias early mobile phone ecosystem.
Salihu Blootooth brought remarkable ICT skills to the table at a time when tools like iCloud didnt exist. He introduced useful applications for everyday utilitydictionaries, encyclopedias, spreadsheets, Holy Quran apps, diaries, and more. One of his standout offerings was backing up phone contacts, photos, and videos, not just digitally but also in beautifully printed hard copies. He even provided CD backups long before flash drives became mainstream. His printed directories were glazed, elegant, and ahead of their time.
Impressed by his services, I enthusiastically referred him to my friends and colleagues. Before long, Mr. Blootooth had become to us what a cancer specialist is to patientsindispensable. His name soon resonated across Abujas elite circles as a reliable ICT consultant.
