At the age of 12, while in primary six, Emeka Nelson Eze lost a close friend in generator fumes incident. Since then, he has vowed not to rest on his oars, until he developed an alternative to the use of gasoline generators. It was a tall dream looked impossible, considering the country we are, but the young Emeka was never discouraged. Like a man with vision, he relentlessly pursued his dream. Today his effort has paid off as he has researched and produced a generator that is being powered with water without fumes and machines that can convert waste to fuel and methane gas. Products he is already making efforts to make available in Nigerian markets next year. Hails from Imilike-Agu in Udenu Local Council of Enugu State, 22-year-old Eze who has spent most of his life in Awka, the Anambra State capital is a student of the Instrumentation and Control System Engineering of the National Metallurgical Training Institute, Onitsha, Anambra State.
Speaking to The Guardian in his home in Awka about his inventions, Eze said: “I have quite some number of inventions, but for now it is only three of them that I want Nigerians to be aware of. One of them is a portable hydroelectric generating set. It is a portable generator that uses water instead of gasoline. It can be used to power a house. It is still under development, but now I have one that can work, but I can’t say it is completely okay now because I still need to improve on it. “I came about the idea of the machine when I was in primary six. I lost a friend to generator fumes. He was watching a movie in the parlour while the generator was on. Suddenly there was rain and the family decided to bring the generator close to the parlour and everybody slept in the process. The fumes from the generator that found its way into the room killed my friend. It was a very pathetic and ugly incident for me. I was a year ahead of him in school then, but we were very close. “It was from there that I vowed to find alternative to gasoline generator. It was like saying if the whiteman can make Nigeria generate electricity from water, why can’t they get them into smaller shapes like the one we have in our houses to serve the same purpose? “It was a childish thought. But I remembered that in our Integrated Science class our teacher would always tell us that Nigeria generates its electricity from water. To me, that was a launching pad. “I started reading Physics textbooks, even though I didn’t know they were Physics textbooks. All I was doing was to go to the library, get any book I like read and ask questions. I go to the roadside generator technicians and ask questions. Though some of them get angry with me at times, but I never allowed such to deter me.
“ The first time I did a very small experiment, I was able to get over 40 volts with just water. In my junior secondary, I developed another one that gave an increased voltage. I told myself that I should do something better and that was how I started working hard. I normally go to the refuse bins, pick waste and all sorts of components, I go to mechanic workshop, radio workshops where they give me discarded parts and that was where I started. When asked how he was able to design, Eze said: “Today, I have been able to design a generating set that can use water to power one room. It can carry your bulbs, fans and television, but not pressing iron, fridge and air-conditioners.” He disclosed that the second machine he developed is capable of transforming waste to fuel. He calls it “Mgbanwe C12” (meaning change or transform). “What this machine does is to convert waste to fuel. The major challenge we have been having is waste disposal. I am not saying that waste management people are not doing enough. I had to think of the way of taking care of these wastes permanently and even bring them to generate funds and create employment. I engaged in a kind of research on what to do with those waste and that made me start with an experiment. I can still remember that during the time of flooding and you see wastes here and there. They don’t decay, but block drainages.
“There was a time government said it was going to stop companies manufacturing sachet water because of poor waste disposal. I was like saying it would be wise if we find a way to convert these wastes to fuel. So we had to do constant research and one day, I did something while I was in the kitchen and had a miniature thing and was able to get something that looks like kerosene from the waste. “That was what actually gave me hope that I can really transform these wastes. The idea was that if I create a machine that can return waste back to its original state, then I could extract oil in it and transform it to fuel. “So the major challenge was creating a machine that will do it. So I started working towards it and after my WAEC examination, I got serious with it. So luckily for me, a year later, I was able to complete the machine. So the machine is working and not only that it can turn waste to fuel, it can give you the best form of interlocking stone,” Eze said.
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