LET THERE BE LIGHT:
‘I Will bring ELECTRICITY to Nigeria in 24 hours’-EMMANUEL OBAYAGBON, renowned Electrical Engineer
…Says: ‘I discovered Solar Science at the age of six years’
* ‘I am the First Nigerian to have invented Generator Power Booster since 2012’
* ‘God Almighty, light-off in Nigeria inspired me to be creative’
* ‘I have sold over 8000 pieces of my products and Nigerians did not believe me earlier’
* ‘I have been featured in several national and International technological journals’
* ‘I am ready to tell President Buhari on secret of how to bring steady power to Nigeria’
HE IS A TALENTED NIGERIAN FROM EDO STATE, born into the family of the Obayagbons from Benin City. EMMANUEL OBAYAGBON though observed his natural endowment at a toddler age for Solar discovery, he eventually followed after his dream, graduated from the prestigious Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu state with a 2:1 Second class upper result. Where he specialized in Power Option. For the records, his generator booster creates step-up power for pressing iron, microwave, deep fryer, Rice cooker. In this interview with GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU, AMERICAN Foreign Bureau Chief, this highly-gifted Nigerian speaks on the inspiration behind his discovery, how he intend to bring electricity to Nigeria in 24 hours across the nation, childhood and message to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari…
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: How did you invent the Generator Power Booster being the first scientific discovery in Nigeria?
I innovated the generator power booster in the year 2012, having made several attempts to no avail. I failed several times earlier (smiles memories of yesterday) and yet it didn’t work. I could remember that the first booster I innovated damaged my former generator in such that I have to spend up to N10,000 Naira (Nigeria Currency) in order to get it (my generator/) fixed. After fixing it, I continued with the experiment the second time but failed woefully. This continued until the sixth time when I built the last generator power booster.
I could remember that the power of my gasoline generator then was 750Watts while my pressing iron was 1460Watts. I was scared of testing it because I know what I have been through in fixing up my generator that first time since it damaged it. I went ahead testing the product but this time around I was extremely careful. So when I inserted the product on a wall socket after turning on my generator. I plugged the pressing iron of 1460watts to the product that was connected to my generator of 750watts after which I turned on the switch and all of a sudden I was surprised that the iron was powered and nothing happened to my generator.
That was the first success I made in the generator power booster. So I continued this testing for six months. Later, I sold the product to one entrepreneur lecturer whose name is Dr Valentine Onoh at Coal city, Enugu State University. Each product of mine then cost the sum of N5000 Naira.
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER:What inspired you into this kind of electricity research that will save much energy and allow Nigerians to enjoy every home appliances comfort even with the smallest generator?
I was inspired into this discovery through inspiration from the Omniscience God Almighty. One day as I was in my room ironing, all of a sudden there was public power outage through out the environment in such that there was no public power. That actually pained me as an inventor to create something that can power heavy loads like electrical pressing iron using my small generator of 750watts. ”Necessity is the mother of invention”. From that moment I begin to think of an idea that will power my pressing iron which I later went on to research using a gadget that will boost power from the smallest gasoline generator in order to power heavy resistive load like iron, bread toaster, etc which I later succeeded.
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: As an Inventor, how and when did you come about this idea or was it during your youth service period or after?
It was before my youth service period that I came about the idea. That was three years after I have gained admission to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu state Nigeria . Although the first idea I researched damaged my generator which I later fixed. I continued researching on the generator power booster up to sixth times until I succeeded. Now I can build up to three different types of my generator power booster.
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: What are some of the greatest challenges you have encountered after your scientific invention in ensuring every home in Nigeria are listed on your Generator Power Booster?
My greatest challenges encountered was that at first people never believed in my product, as they were scared of damaging their appliances with my product. It took me time to convince some people to go ahead to buy the product for use. You know Nigerians are very scared of their own made in Nigeria product because they firmly believe everything should be made in China before they can believe in it. But God Almighty who convinced Dr Valentine Onoh of Coal city at Enugu State University to buy and test the product have led me to sell over 8000 pieces and still counting as many people are making more demand.
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: What steps have you made in bringing your scientific research to the knowledge of Nigerians?
Well
several steps were made by me to ensure that every Nigerians get to
know about the usefulness of the product. I used the social media
such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to create
more awareness to the knowledge of Nigerians. Lastly, I used
demonstration videos to convince Nigerians about the product which
were posted on my facebook timeline ”Emmanuel Obayagbona”
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: Have you received any support from your local government or state authorities regarding your discovery?
No I have not received any support from my local government or state authorities about my discovery. You know Nigeria is a place where talents are not being encouraged which is why we have so many brain drains in the country. I could remember vividly how I profound an idea of generating steady power supply for Nigeria and Africa through a strike of lightning having energy for 5years and 30days per strike of lightning. Furthermore, I went ahead to talk about it on BBC world service, Nigeria television authority NTA Int’l on weekend deal in 2017, DSA Tv Ukraine, Africa independent Television AIT Int’l, Core TV int’l, Rave TV Int’l, Delta rainbow television Warri delta state, Voice of Nigeria to mention but a few. It was also published in some Nigeria Newspaper such as The Nation Newspaper on may 2nd 2012, The Sun Newspaper on October 14 2014 and January 26 2016, The Guardian newspaper in 2017, Business day Newspaper, Champion Newspaper on Feb 4th 2012 and lots more.
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: Did you take any step to inform Nigerian National Orientation Agency, NOA, of your research discovery so that may make available to you some grants to further set this on a higher national dialogue?
No I did not because I haven’t heard about them.
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: What do you want your state and local governments to do to assist you in this your new invention?
I want to solve Nigeria’s epileptic power challenge so I am in need of support from our government to help me further my research in any technological area so that I can go and further develop this concept. I intend solving the country power problem using a strike of lightning energy. Nigeria’s greatest challenge now is lack of power. I’m not also calling on the government but I’m also calling on other sponsors, partners and private individuals.
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: If you are invited to meet President Muhammadu Buhari now in Aso Rock, what will you tell him as your topmost concern on the Generator Power Booster technology and how Nigerians can benefit from it?
Well if I’m being taking to Mr. president I will tell him or discuss with him on how I can solve the issue of power problem we are currently facing in the Nigeria through a strike of lightning energy for 5years and 30days per strike of lightning. I believe in vision 2020 where there will be a new Nigeria with steady power supply, even in 24 hours.
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: How were you able to source for all the parts needed to assemble the Generator Power Booster?
I was able to source all the materials locally I never imported any of the material outside Nigeria
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: Finally, tell us about your childhood, tough moments in life and how this technology of yours will generate huge jobs for Nigerian youths
My name is Obayagbona Emmanuel Imafidon, I’m from Edo State Benin City. I was born into the family of Mr and Mrs Henry u. Obayagbona. We were eight in number: six girls and two boys. I am the Fifth child of my family. I started my invention at a very tender age.
I did my nursery, primary school in Warri, Delta State. I did my Secondary school at Challenge Academy Secondary School, Ovwian Aladja where I continued with my scientific discovery. I was awarded a scholarship due to my invention prowess by my proprietor Mr S.A Aghoghovwie. When I finished my secondary school I gain admission into a higher Institution called Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu State where I studied Electrical engineering (Power Option) to which I graduated with 2:1 Second class upper and went ahead to serve my country.
On National Youths Service Corps (NYSC Service) I just passed out on 24th of June 2019. Although it was easy for me as a youth inventor which was during my childhood I could remember at a certain time my parents burnt down my tools and said that I should go and read my book. The reason was because I was devoting more time on innovation, I cried because that was my passion and I know how much it cost me to gather those tools. At a time I begin to have tough moment in my life. There was no money to carry out my innovation/Invention so that made me to go into asking people for money in order to create new invention with the money I gathered. Then after some time people now talked to my parents that they should support their son since that is where his passion comes from. After sometime my parents started supporting me.. Then at the age of sixteen I was invited to Delta State Rainbow Television in Warri, Delta State on the right of a child program that was where I was given a platform to talk about my innovations by Christy Ichofu who was an aged woman then. May God Almighty bless her wherever she is.
I
was also featured on National and international Journals. This
technology of mine will create millions of jobs for Nigerians as well
as Africans because we are going to employ the unemployed people and
use them to package the product that will be produce here in Nigeria
of which some of the people will go into distribution, marketing of
the product. So many people will be gainfully employed once we begin
production.
Thanks so much for the publication and I also what to thank God Almighty who has been endowing me with wisdom, knowledge and understanding
He is the source of my inspiration and the giver of my idea.
Thanks