Abuja – The Federal Government has appointed Jessica Mathews, a
U.S.-based Nigerian, who invented energy generating football and
skipping rope as an `Entrepreneurship Ambassador’.
The Minister of
Trade and Investments, Dr Olusegun Aganga, announced this on Friday
after the presentation and demonstration of the invented products to
President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa.
Aganga
said, “Mathews is an inspiration to every Nigerian, especially children,
and the product is portrayed as made by a Nigerian for the world.
“The product is actually versatile, it is not just about the
electricity you see, you can use it to charge your mobile phones and
fans so there are so many things for which it can be used.
“We are also looking at the possibilities of manufacturing it in Nigeria and see how we can make it cheaper in this country.
“I am glad that Matthew has also agreed to be our ambassador in terms of promoting entrepreneurship in our universities.
“What
we want to do is to bring successful entrepreneurs like Matthew to
inspire the students and make them more creative so that they can also
be employers of labour,’’ the minister said.
Matthew, an Edo-born
inventor, who demonstrated the soccer ball, said it could generate three
hours of electricity after 30 minutes of play and could store power for
72 hours.
The electricity generated by the ball, according to
her, can be used as electricity source to power lighting points and
household equipments.
Mathews, 25, and Co-founder of Uncharted
play, said the airless football used as electricity power source when
not in use, could span for 18-months before replacement.
The
inventor, who studied Psychology and Economics in Havard University,
U.S., said she taught herself Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
because of her interest in the field
She said her motivation to
invent the ball and skipping rope came when she attended a wedding in
Nigeria and there was a sudden power outage.
“I am a Nigerian and
was in Nigeria, it was my Aunt’s wedding and we lost power. How many
times, is there anyone who has not been affected?
“For me, I was
raised to seek a solution when there is a problem. To be as creative as
you can and be opened to different ways so you can address the
situation,’’ she said.
Mathews, who spoke on why she chose to use
football, explained: “to me, we all know that football is the most
popular thing in the world.
“To most people, football form is the most convenient; any man on the street will be attracted to kicking football.
“So, the idea is to put something that people really love and get more out of it.
“These
are the things we can use to see if we can amplify existing behaviour
to bridge the gap between what is working and what is not working in
this country that we love so much.
“We take our passion for sports
that is so beautiful and we say okay, let’s give people renewable clean
power that they can control.’’
She said the innovation, which had
been accepted and already in use in the U.S., would be affordable when
mass-produced and introduced into the Nigerian market.
“Right now, if we are going to sell it here in Nigeria, it will be equivalent to what you will pay for a solar inverter.
“Right
now, we have not started making them here, we are selling them in New
York and in New York, we charge people a lot because it is New York,’’
she said.
Dr Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the President on
Media and Publicity, said Jonathan congratulated Mathews on her
creativity and innovativeness.
“The president is particularly
impressed that Matthew is multi-talented, and that she developed herself
in science despite that she is a psychologist and economist.
“It is a proof of the quality of human resource we have in Nigeria and the president is proud of her,’’ Abati said.
Abati
said the president assured that the invention would be used as a major
tool to mobilise young children and encourage them to think more deeply.
(NAN)
Source: Vangard
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