It gladdens my heart and makes my soul dance when I hear of Nigerian youths who go above and beyond to do the extraordinary. Ekomobong Finbarr is one of such young men. What did he do you ask? When his mates were writing page long thesis for their final year project, he disregarded the norm and went on to build a solar-powered keke napep for his final year project.
Finbarr is an undergraduate student of Electrical-Electronics Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. The solar-powered keke napep he built runs with a battery and solar panels which means no engines!
His proud elder brother announced his brother’s achievement on facebook. With a younger brother like Finbarr, who wouldn’t be proud? In Finbarr’s brother’s words; “Over the past few weeks, he has painstakingly produced and defended this solar-powered tricycle. His lecturers were completely stunned that he could pull this through.” The keke has been said to be able to travel 11km without needing a recharge.
Now if this is not super economical, I don’t know what is. Mentally picture if not all, most of our vehicles running on solar power. Now that is a picture that broadens your lips isn’t it?
This gist is not over. Like all great achievements, this amazing feat drew some big attention to Finbarr and a some twitter toasting ensued. First OO Nwoye tweeted Kola Aina, CEO of Abuja-based incubator and coworking space, Ventures Platform about Finbarr’s innovation:
After which Mainone, (yes THE MAINONE) tweeted directly at Finbarr asking for his CV. How hot is that?
OO nwoye would not have any of it as he in turn responded to Mainone with:
Finbarr is way hot right now as these industry big wigs are already competing for his attention. Go Finbarr! take the industry by storm!
