In the later part of the eighteenth century to four decades into the nineteenth century, precisely between 1760s and 1840, the industrial revolution began in Britain.
Today, western countries top the list of the developed world.
Asia is not left behind, as China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have emerged as strong manufacturing hubs.
African countries including Nigeria, are lagging behind as they depend mostly on manufactured products from the industrialized nations.
It has been detrimental economically as it tilts balance of trade and value placed on currency in favour of manufacturing nations.
It is therefore high time Nigeria as a nation changed this narrative by encouraging local inventions.
Transformation of the nation from a consuming to a manufacturing one should be the wish of any Nigeria leader.
Already, there are indices to show that the dynamics could be changed going by some inventions which have emerged in the country in the past till present.
This includes the emergency blood transfusion system made by a medical doctor and retired brigadier general in the Nigerian army, Oviemo Ovadje .
Similarly, another Nigerian Saheed Adepoju is credited with the invention of Inye-1 & 2, tablet computers designed for the African market, while research into the use of wind-propelled turbines to generate electricity is credited to another citizen, Sebastine Omeh.
Recently, a 67-year-old man, Hadi Usman, invented a cooking stove that uses water and air pressure to generate fire.
According to the Gifted Gombe technician, he has been inventing products since 70s and 80s
Report on Usman attracted global attention from the US, Germany and other countries.
Regrettably at home, it has been observed over the years that most inventions and their inventors always ended up as media affairs as nothing is heard of them again after the media bliss this attitude is not healthy.
These innovations and some others within the country are evidences that given more enabling environment, citizens could transform its standard of technology to be at par with developed countries.
To compete with developed nations in technology, there is need for government to set up special funds for rewarding individuals credited with proven inventions.
Corporate bodies, philanthropists and other well-meaning persons should assist aspiring inventors who need funds to realize their dreams
in addition, it is high time universities in Nigeria translated researches into pivot for inventions.
Furthermore, besides the academic environment, those in the informal sector, especially artisans with flair for innovations deserve to be funded to bring such work to completion, as artisans were great anchors of the industrial revolution in Britain.
Government should make inventions a significant part of national award criteria to stir more enterprising Nigerians to bend into the field of inventions in order to transform the nation’s technologically and economically.
Olukemi Akintunde
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