I want to make Nigeria rich •Says Obasanjo, inventor of ‘amphibian jet’ •Plans a gift for Jonathan

It was an afternoon that the people won’t forget in a hurry. The crowd gathered around an aircraft-like vehicle on Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. One would easily take the atmosphere for a carnival considering the huge crowd. When the writer moved closer to the scene to catch a glimpse of what was happening, it turned out to be an ‘amphibian jet’ that was invented and constructed by a Nigerian who gave his name as Durojaiye Kehinde Obasanjo, SEGUN ADEBAYO reports on the invention and the man behind it.

THE Imalefalfia Street of Oke Ado, Ibadan, where the Tribune House is situated unusually came alive few weeks back, when many people trooped out to witness Durojaiye Obasanjo in his ‘amphibian jet’, when he visited the publishing house to tell the story of his invention. Many struggled to speak with the inventor and ask him on how he managed to drive the device, and where he drove it from, while others watched in awe.

Though, Obasanjo looked beggarly, he appeared unmoved by low financial status as he said he had invested many hours and materials in the project. He was apparently happy that, at least, if the government had not appreciated his invention, the people on the street had given him the much needed encouragement and sometimes even financial support.

Sporting a brown T-shirt on a pair of jean, Obasanjo stepped out of his ‘jet’ to discuss the story of his life with the reporter. There was a tinge of sadness in his voice as he began his story but he was articulate.

He spoke about the struggles he had gone through in life and his project, expressing regrets that it should have brought him fame and money, if it were in a developed country.

He had anticipated government’s support while building the automobile, but he got none. He said he once met with the former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, who visited his workshop in 1995. Though, Federal Government sent a letter of commendation and promised to ‘get in touch,’ till now, Obasanjo has been living his dream all alone.

Obasanjo recalled that everything he had done was borne out of his desire to bring glory to his country “Everything I do today is borne out of my creative dexterity. I looked at how developed countries have moved up in technology and I was sad that my country is still crawling when others are flying,”he stated.

The inventor not only shares surname with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he is also from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, as the former president. They are, however, no blood relations.

He also noted that he was happy to have shared surname with a former president, but submitted that this had translated into nothing for him.

“I don’t even think about the fact that I share a surname with a former president. Does he even know me? How would that translate to riches for my family and me?” he queried.

Narrating his story further, he said; ”I have been a researcher and a workshop lecturer at the University of Lagos. The lecture is mainly based on this particular project that I have been working on since my childhood; I started precisely at the age of six.

“I have all the pictures that I took with the former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, when he visited my workshop in 1995. As of that time, I had built a device that could move on land and fly at the same time. Right now, this project that I brought here is called an Amphibian Jet. It is designed to move on land, fly in the air and move on the sea. But right now, it can only move on land and on the sea. I personally drove it on the sea towards the Third Mainland Bridge. It moves by the means of aerodynamics, which is the flying engine that I built locally.”

A God-given talent
 Recalling how he began, Obasanjo said he could not comprehend how he got so talented.

“The creative gift in my life also contributed to the success of the project. But this is a natural talent that I really can’t explain how it started. All I know is that I have been doing this since I was young and I am so passionate about it that it has become a big part of my existence. I can’t conveniently detach myself from it.

If I tell you I know how it started, I won’t be telling you the truth. God inspired me and I discovered myself through sheer hard work and commitment,” he said, noting that he could not quantify what he had spent on the invention.

“I cannot ascertain the amount I have spent so far, because I have spent so much on different research works. I have been spending 80 per cent of my income on this project for many years and I am still spending. I don’t see anything stopping me from achieving my desired goal, even if it costs me more than I had spent before now. For this very project to move on, I have spent close to a million naira.”

Obasanjo disclosed that the device is being driven by very simple engineering and could be operated by everyone.

“I actually came to Ibadan to complete my research work on the project. I have been visiting for some time to look at some of the things I would need to make the jet work faster and perfectly.

“I live in Lagos and my family is in Lagos. I drove the jet from Lagos to Ibadan. When I drive it, it might look strange to people, but the fact is that I enjoy it because it moves fast like a jet. Other road users are always amazed to see me drive on the road and they pave the way for me. It is an awesome experience. I moved it from land into the sea, not just the Third Mainland Bridge. It moved perfectly on the sea for more than an hour.

“I can tell you that 70 per cent of the materials are locally made. The aluminum, plastic and even woods used are all locally made materials. It uses solar and petrol to move from one place to another, but right now, I am using petrol. The solar can move for 40 kilometres per hour on land and on the sea, while the petrol can make it move for 120 kilometres per hour on land and 140 kilometres per hour on the sea.”

A great opportunity... grave dissapointment
To produce the device in commercial quantity, according to him would require huge financial outlay.

“This is still a research work that requires full financial support. It has got to a stage that Nigeria can mass produce it for the whole world. No country has ever produced something like this in the world. I still need to complete the research work on it before I can tell you how much I would need to make it look like a well constructed flying jet.

“This is not something you can just come up with without proper and meticulous research work, else, you will fail abysmally. I probably would have failed had it been I had not been doing some consultations and reading books on aviation.

“I have been hearing some people say that I was working for some foreign governments, but that’s not true. American and German governments sent delegates to me when they saw me flying it on the sea. I don’t know how they got to locate me or saw me when I was moving it on the sea. But they sent their representatives to me to discuss some issues with me. Apparently, they were shocked to see that somebody from Nigeria is coming up with such a mighty project. They wanted to know more and probably give me some moral and financial support. I was tracked through their satellites when I was on the sea. They asked me if could change my nationality, but I refused because I believe in Nigeria and I am sure that we can develop our country, should our government throw its weight behind this project.”

I won’t give up...
Asked if it is not frustrating that he is not getting the necessary support from government and those that have the wherewithal, the inventor said; “It has not been easy working on this alone without any sort of support from people, especially the government. The Lagos State government saw it and promised to get back to me, but that promise has been in futility and I have since moved on with my life. I don’t know why well-meaning Nigerians and multi-national companies who have the wherewithal to push this to a meaningful stage are not looking at what could in turn fetch them money.

“Everybody is concentrating on oil money to the detriment of great innovations that abound in this country. It will surprise you to know that we have more than 100 great innovators in this country who are languishing in poverty because nobody is ready give them the needful support to bring out the best in them.

Recently, I received support...
I received support from Cherry Noodles Company. The company gave me some incentives and I am grateful for that. I was approached by the company some months back when some of their representatives saw me driving it in the city of Lagos. And, after then, nothing else has come from anybody or the government.

It is really depressing.

“I have a vision for Nigeria, just like other great innovators in the country. Others might have given up, but I won’t. This is a legacy that I want to leave behind when I am no more. If I get the kind of support that I crave, we will mass produce this jet in six months and people from around the globe will flock Nigeria to patronise us.

“The research is completed and I am ready to work with the government to produce it for a global market. You can imagine somebody who can build a jet that can move on land and sea perfectly and moved the same jet from Lagos to Ibadan without any hitch. Trust me, he can do more, if he his duly empowered. It took me one hour 45 minutes to move from Yaba part of Lagos to Ibadan, despite the traffic gridlock on the road,” he enthused.

Obsanjo disclosed that the amphibian jet is not his only invention.

“I have about three different devices that I have built over the years. I am currently working on the latest one that can travel internationally. The first phase of this one has been completed and I am earnestly working on the latest one which I would present to President Goodluck Jonathan as a gift for him to test-run. I believe that will boost the country’s economy in no small measure.”

Sharing dreams...
The inventor is also looking towards training of younger ones for the country’s technological advancement.

“With this kind of project, I have not come across any higher institution of learning in Nigeria or beyond that offers the course or training. To talk about something that will move on land, sea and fly in the air, it is not a tea party. Even America is still working on the one that will move on the land and sea. No institution can offer this kind of training. I am the one training students now because we want Nigeria to be the first country that would produce such device in the world.

“That’s why I have set up a training institute so that we can impart this knowledge to our youths for the large benefit of the country.

“I have first degree in Electronics and Computer from Lagos State University and I have been doing this even before I gained admission. Do you ever imagine that this type of ‘auto-craft’ could be built by a Nigerian? I try to educate myself a lot of times. I read books a lot of times to upgrade my knowledge. But I can also tell you that what I do is more of natural talent than what you can find in any book. I am not ruling out the fact that you have to be educated. At least, I am a graduate myself, but if you don’t have this in you, you won’t be able to go far.

Another level of insanity?
Obasanjo said inspite of his assured sanity, many people still believe he is mad to be so engrossed in his inventions, saying that much of the assurance and comfort he gets flows from his wife and children.

“I have come across people who told me that I am insane and that I need to have my brain checked by medical experts,” he said with a wry smile.” But I always tell them that if you see an inventor that does not possess a strange attitude to life, then, you have not seen one. Even merely telling people that I want to build an object that can fly, move on the land and sea, the response would be that I am not normal. Such happened to most inventors before me.

“But I have an understanding wife and I have lovely kids. God will always provide somebody that complements you in all that you do. That is just how much I can say about my wife. If I had married a different person today, I would not have recorded the success I have made today.”

Even with the numerous disappointments from those in positions of authority, Obasanjo was optimistic that assistance would still come officially from government, becasue of the project’s huge economic benefit to the nation.

“There is something about this project; we have to be frank with ourselves. Now that we have achieved the one that can move on the land and sea, I will suggest that we use that one to develop our economy first. To mass produce it globally, it will cost Nigeria between N2.5 billion to N2.8 billion. That will put Nigeria on the track of mass production of the project. But if I want to build a standard one, that will cost only a few millions of naira. I have an idea of what I want to do.

And, if you are going to sell, it will go for N650,000 each,” he said.