MICHAEL Friday is not your popular guy. But silently, the Benue State-born man has been inventing modules that will ease the pains of Nigerians. Born on August 3, 1979, he attended LGEA Primary School, Onicha-Igo, Kogi State. For his secondary education, he was at Ochaja Boys Secondary School. He later got admitted to Yaba Collage of Technology (YABATECH), but dropped out due to financial difficulties. Today, he, however, holds a master’s degree in Information Technology from the University of Liverpool. He tells BOLA OLAJUWON and GREGORY AUSTIN NWAKUNOR all about his inventions, award and dream for Nigeria.
Working experience
I worked for Deeper Life Bible Church for two years; later on, I moved to Living Faith Bible Church for another three years before Vividglobal came into existence in 2006. I was into media productions, recording and video coverage in these churches while I was working on my various inventions. In fact, this was one reason I could not work for too long. I have been passionate about invention from childhood after my strange encounter and name resemblance with one of the great inventors, Michael Faraday, from whom I derive so much inspiration. We have achieved so much by our successful partnership with Eazytrade to achieve our dream in changing the world of technology through re-engineering and fresh inventions. Vividglobal received its boom in technology after Eazytrade bought shares into it, early 2009.
Inventions
We have a lot of inventions that are sure to put Nigeria on the same pedestal with others. Vivid car came into existence in 2005, when I was on queue for fuel for about two days; and was given a query for not coming to the office for the sake of fuel that we produce. Thereafter, thought of inventing a car that will not consume fuel. Today, Vivid electronic car stands out. It is charged both electrically and through gasoline generator before usage. Our car generates its current through a module developed here, which sustains the car energy for up to 2000km per day on 2.3 litre engine. Its kind in other parts of the world can only go for just 100km. Also, looking at our critical challenge faced by our country, it’s of necessity to have an alternative to our power generation and distribution. We have developed a 5 KVA generator that requires no fuel or any form of charging to power your house for at least 10 years. You need minimal daily or monthly expenditure to keep the generator working for 24 hours in a week non-stop. It’s the first of its kind in the world and it is developed in Nigeria and will be out before December, this year. Our TV is a revolutionary one that has all the functions in one. With its LCD led panel, it can work for minimum of six hours after power supply is off; it plays DVD VCD and audio CDs and has AC out for charging phone. For the Vivid eazy safe, we are talking of the fastest copying mini flash drive with 16 GB. It is one of the largest and smallest in the world today. We achieved this by the use of micro chip/liquid technology to build it. The Vivid GPS Navigator is a multimedia navigator covering all nooks and crannies of Nigerian roads and villages, with live traffic report and detour services, play movie, game, e-book, Bluetooth and phonebook backup.
Business environment
In Nigeria, we do business with less commitment and if we can be more committed to our businesses, work and technology, we will become the giants that we have craved for and, which we are referred to in Africa. We have the potentials in us and we can do it. If a foreign investor can ask me to name any price I want, to become the head of his company research and development, then I will say there’s something here that needed to be studied in the world over. There are many more out there, who are doing great things. The truth is, we should get back to work and forget cutting corners or the so-called short form of getting rich formulae.
Foundation
I have been very passionate about the poor all my life due to my humble upbringing and the ugly experience I had while growing up, where I had to drop out of school because of finance. Let me tell you this, I lacked everything and was always in want. The childhood experience has made me to stand and fight poverty with everything in me. Since I began to earn a living, I have taken time to commit certain amount of my income to help the poor. This, in fact, started when I was still earning N16,000. I started this foundation for widows with just a bag of rice monthly. Now, the foundation is very big with a membership of over 400 people, who receive my gift every month. Also attached to what the foundation gets is appointment with pastors and doctors, who minister to their physical and spiritual needs. Fifty per cent of the medical care of members of the foundation is borne by me. There are about 55 orphans and less privilege children in both secondary and universities on full scholarship. While an elders forum takes care of the elders and full time gospel ministers and imams. These people get paid a token amount on monthly bases. The elders in the forum enjoy 100 per cent medical care from what God provides me from my current earning.
The Award
The award came at a time I felt so challenged in my various inventions. This happened barely a week I turned down an offer of $30 million by a Chinese businessman to get the patent right for the car. I told him I would never do that because Nigeria has everything needed to build the car here. He told me we don’t have the money neither the technology, but I stood ground and refused his offer and returned to Nigeria. I planned to meet my governor and other business men for immediate take off of the factory, having consulted with mould company in Europe to provide the various mould we need. The fortunate thing was that I had not even seen those I planned seeing about my decision, when the award came. Had I sold the idea to the Chinese business mogul no one would have known that a Nigerian developed the car here. So, the award is an encouragement to me.
Future expectations
I see great conglomerates of businesses springing out of Vivid and Eazytrade soon, and an outstanding manufacturing firm that will at least bring out new inventions every three month.
