A 15-year-old innovator, Master Babatemilehi Daomi, who invented a hydraulic-powered, collapsible prototype of the Lagos Fourth Mainland Bridge, says he has invented a prototype of 100 per cent Nigerian aircraft.
Daomi gave the assurance in an interview in Lagos on Sunday night after receiving an award at the 2018 Nigerian Child Summit Award for Inventions and Technology.
The event held at the Oriental Hotels.
The secondary school leaver said that he had the skills to invent a number of things that would address some of Nigeria’s transport, water, electricity and telecommunication challenges.
“ I want to start with an aircraft that can carry two or four persons. The people that built the first aircraft started with this number.
“With time, I will build aircraft that can carry hundreds of persons. I have the skills to do this; I only need financial support from governments, individuals and organisations,” Daomi said.
He listed some of his other inventions to include digital mini microscope, DC phone power bank, DC/AC vacuum cleaner and mini radio transmitter.
Others are hydrogen separator that powers generator and cooking gas with water.
Also in an interview, the father of the inventor, Mr Olusoji Daomi, who is a lawyer, said that he had wanted his son to be a lawyer, but would have to allow him to pursue his dreams in technology.
He said that his son would be able to do much if adequately supported.
The Coordinator of the award, Mr Babalola Omoniyi said on the sidelines of the event that Nigerian Child Summit Award was a platform to identity and celebrate ingenuity in children.
Omoniyi said that many Nigerian children were doing wonders with their different skills without being recognised, appreciated or encouraged.
“Nigerian Child Summit Award is an annual event that celebrates Nigerian children within ages 5-15, who have measurable achievements, exceptional contributions and indigenous developmental practices.
“We have 14 awardees this year in various fields such as humanitarian, sports, arts and creativity, music, business, social media, fashion, technology amongst others.
“The theme for this year’s edition is “Giving Today for Their Tomorrow’’.
“Governments, parents, organisations and others must rise for the betterment of our tomorrow’s leaders,’’ he urged.
A politician, Dr Elishama Ideh, said that much security challenges would be eliminated with adequate attention to each child’s foundation.
According to Ideh, the first place a child learns is his immediate environment particularly through observation of his parents’ ways of life.
Ideh, of the Alliance for New Nigeria, said that children brought up under bridges would hardly have good upbringing.
The politician said there was the need for adequate investment in the education of the children to make them to contribute their best for national development.
Daomi the children were given plaques by the event organisers. The other children made marks in creative writing, photography. (NAN)
