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| The Amphibian Jet. Inset: Durojaiye Obasanjo. |
Durojaiye Kehinde Obasanjo, a native of Ijaye in Abeokuta, Ogun State, an entrepreneur and inventor spoke with PMNEWS on his Amphibian Jet Project
What actually motivated you into the Amphibian Jet Project?
I was inspired by creative integrity because right from my childhood I always take any toy, unscrew and then assembled them back gracefully. I will just say it is that love for creativity that inspired me and hence the idea.
For how long have you been on the project?
I have been doing this right from my childhood, my parents are witness to that, even before I started my primary education, I had produced moving objects with used Bournvita, milk cans.
Why did you decide to build this amphibian jet that is different from the normal ones?
I will not definitely call it a different project, but just to exceed the normal buildings. The concept of the amphibian jet is to move on land, sea and air, and we have achieved moving on land and sea. The parts used for this project is locally fabricated by me here in Nigeria and most of the materials used for the project are the materials that you can source in Nigeria.
What are the materials used for the project?
They are the normal materials that can be easily sourced in here, especially in Ajaokuta. We have the plastics, woods, all fabricated here in Nigeria. I will tell you that the project is 70 per cent locally made in terms of the materials used.
How long will it take you to complete this project?
If not for financial difficulties, it would have taken me three months to build but because of the constraint, let me put it at six months.
What was your budget when you were designing this?
Precisely, I will not say I budgeted a certain amount, but I made up my mind that money would not really stop me, so I was picking materials from the junkyard and some were bought. If I had the raw materials and funds for this project, you would have seen something perfect and I am using this opportunity to tell Nigerians that my aim is to make sure that Nigeria is the first country in the world to start mass production of this project. No country has ever mass produced this type of project. We have the potential and the finance.
How much will it take you to build one?
With regards to producing a prototype that moves on land, sea and air, which will cost N10 million. If it is just for the land and sea alone, that would cost N2.5 million. But the mass production of this prototype is just N250,000.
Have you made any effort to seek government assistance?
Yes. I had made several moves. The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, promised to see me after using this jet during the re-election bid for Governor Fashola. I am still hanging on to his promise. I did inform the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, but he is yet to respond to my proposal.
In 1990, General Ibrahim Babangida visited the project, later in 1995, the Federal Government sent a letter of commendation and promised to get in touch, but till now, I am yet to get any backing from any government.
My only mission now is to make sure the project is finalised and then an official display will follow where government parastatals and foreigners would be invited, but what I need is funds to actualise this project.
Culled from: P.M. News
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