The Nigerian Who Designed An American Car
By Michael Oluwagbemi


Born in Kaduna to a quintessential Nigerian family, Jelani Aliyu- the son of Alhaji Aliya Haidara and Sharifiya Hauwa’u Aliyu developed a love for cars at an early age. The fifth of seven children, Jelani pursued his dreams. He obtained a diploma from Birnin Kebbi Polytechnic in Architecture after dropping out from the theory heavy, but practical deficient counterpart program at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.


At the Polytechnic, as he always did, he graduated on top of his class. “Best” has no competition. Upon graduation, “Jelani worked for a while at the Ministry of Works, Sokoto, and then in 1990, gained admission in the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan, to study Automobile Design. Having successfully secured sponsorship from the Sokoto Scholarship Board” .


The rest of the story takes off from here; Mr. Jelani chose to stay. Today, Mr. Jelani is best known for his work as the General Motors Lead Exterior Designer and the designer of the Chevy Volt. For struggling General Motors, Chevy Volt has been described as central to the government backed turnaround and comeback of this great American icon. Of course, the highlight of this centerpiece was the tangible contribution of a Nigerian mind: Mr. Aliyu’.


[b]But wait a minute, for all his achievement- why is Aliyu not being celebrated? Why is he not on the front pages of the “Flagship”? The same newspaper where some no-name Professor Oyibo (of unified field theory fame) have won repeated Nobel season speculative coverage by Laolu Akande, to the annoyance of some serious academics? Why is this young man with real achievements not winning national medals, laurels and recognition? Why is Aliyu not the wonder boy of Nigeria’s intelligentsia, or Diaspora community as much as say Philip Emeagwali? Why has our legislators not invited this young man to speak at a public hearing to highlight the declining quality of technical education? Well, the answer is staring you and I in the face. I dare say Mr. Aliyu is a victim of a single story (borrowing the theme of the recently eloquently delivered lecture by celebrated novelist- Chimamanda Adichie). Mr. Aliyu does not fit a world view; he does not fit your stereotype. He is not your “goro” chewing northerner that is regularly caricatured by the southern Nigeria dominated media. Hence, the Lagos-Ibadan axis Press doesn’t know what to make of him. Humble Mr. Aliyu has not paid some internet publicist nor pushed brown envelopes through our editorial corridors, and hence does not get the required coverage. Our morally bankrupt, meritocracy resisting system does not appreciate the likes of Mr. Aliyu who in the tiny recess of their world have carved a tangible achievement for humanity. He is not the Jihadist raving Muslim northerner that is most abhorrent to our Western benefactors; hence the Nigeria community in Diaspora doesn’t know how to embrace him. The bankrupt ruling class of the North of Nigeria also shares blame in not highlighting the achievement of this true son of Nigeria. Those interloping blood suckers rather promote sectarian agendas to line their pockets, than elevate meritocracy[/b]
.

The treatment of Mr. Aliyu I dare say is a testimony to the subtle ignorance and arrogance of the Southern Academia, and the intellectual bankruptcy of the northern elite all rolled in one. While the national press continues a self absorption in making the phantom Nigerian car, Mr. Aliyu has pioneered the development of one far away from the shores of our country. Where art thou, oh southern media and northern elites? Mr. Aliyu represents the best of meritocracy, and makes a case that every region of Nigeria is teachable (at the very risk of sounding condescending). The whole idea that we can abandon any boy or girl in Nigeria (be it in the North, East, West or South) is put to shame by Mr. Aliyu’s outstanding stride. Mr. Aliyu’s achievement was only made possible only by access to education in Nigeria at the most basic level. Educating the Nigerian child, especially the girls in the northern region (currently lagging behind on the curve of human capital development internally) is sin-qua-non to obtaining the most productivity for our economic investments in them. The achievement of education parity between the north and south of Nigeria by serious drive to educate the North (not undereducated the South) is crucial to Nigeria achieving her dreams of being economically buoyant.


No part of Nigeria’s 150 million plus barrels of true human energy can be written off if we intend to make progress. Speaking about education, the harm done to the psyche of the Nigerian child by the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ (ASUU) incessant strikes and government continue neglect of the sector is dangerous. In underfunding education, we are not only losing the race of now, but giving away the medals of the future. Will our half baked graduates from University of Abuja be able to stare their Cambridge and Harvard counterparts in the eye in a future UN strategy meeting where the fate of our motherland is decided? What manner of legacy are we leaving our children? The time has come to demand that our teachers and lazy government officials stop playing roulette with our collective destiny


http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14607&Itemid=55


[flash=400,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/vqx-xKGeDCA[/flash]

This is very commendable, pure honesty and dedication i wonder why its only one post after more than 1 hr the thread started. Is it b/c he is not from Igbo or Yoruba? Brovo Jelani

presido1:

This is very commendable, pure honesty and dedication i wonder why its only one post after more than 1 hr the thread started. Is it b/c he is not from Igbo or Yoruba? Brovo Jelani

Because its old, I remember seeing him on Nigerian TV. Others don't go on and on about Achebe and Soyinka, oh, wait, they do, but you get the point. . . . . .

Because its old, I remember seeing him on Nigerian TV, . . . . .

I would like to know the station and how long the program was.

Mr. Aliyu does not fit a world view; he does not fit your stereotype. He is not your “goro” chewing northerner that is regularly caricatured by the southern Nigeria dominated media. Hence, the Lagos-Ibadan axis Press doesn’t know what to make of him.

SPOT ON!

Were he a Southerner, the media most would likely be screaming themselves hoarse about his achievements. . . yeye!

Mai Suya:

I would like to know the station and how long the program was.

SPOT ON!

Were he a Southerner, the media most would likely be screaming themselves hoarse about his achievements. . . yeye!

Bravo Aliyu!!

_{Ive seen it several times on NTA and Ait too and its was on the auto section about one or two years ago}

Let's be honest,if this man was a Southerner, we would have exaggerated his achievements. It's old news but it's worth celebrating.

Why do people going on like their comments are going to magically form some sort of unity between the different nations of Nigeria?

Pure and simple

brilliant

another reason why we must work hard to attract these skills back home

The man draws very nice cars - well done.

As much as I agree with the poster that he has not been really celebrated by the southerners because he is a northerner, I also want to point out that the northerners should learn to celebrate their own. Charity begins at home.

Akanbi_edu:

As much as I agree with the poster that he has not been really celebrated by the southerners because he is a northerner, I also want to point out that the northerners should learn to celebrate their own. Charity begins at home.

Well stated!

presido1:

This is very commendable, pure honesty and dedication i wonder why its only one post after more than 1 hr the thread started. Is it b/c he is not from Igbo or Yoruba? Brovo Jelani

That is Nigeria for you

Tribal following success ? I am happy for the guy. Its the country glory, only when we believe tribal is not our problem then we will develop

Nice job, I have some very intelligent northern friends. When given the education, northerners can compete with others. Especially in terms of finance.

You will find a Hausa money changed in every West African nation.

4 Play:

Let's be honest,if this man was a Southerner, we would have exaggerated his achievements. It's old news but it's worth celebrating.

I think he can serve as an inspiration to all Nigerians; but particularly, he should be equally embraced and celebrated in the northern parts of Nigeria as well. This can help curb the growing radicalization and anti-western sentiments, and inspire a more progressive mindset - this we can all benefit from.

At the Polytechnic, as he always did, he graduated on top of his class. “Best” has no competition. Upon graduation, “Jelani worked for a while at the Ministry of Works, Sokoto, and then in 1990, gained admission in the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan, to study Automobile Design. Having successfully secured sponsorship from the Sokoto Scholarship Board” .

how come all the NORTH Big shots did not celebrate their OWN?

with our stolen money, they could have asked him to DESIGN A CAR for them.

otawa:

how come all the NORTH Big shots did not celebrate their OWN?

with our stolen money, they could have asked him to DESIGN A CAR for them.

Ethnocentrism is not only counterproductive, but also an enslavement of your mind from seeing beyond your nose. Rid your mind of needless prejudices.

Designed in Ago Iwoye.

It's quite commendable that this gentleman has found recognition as a car designer within General Motors. But GM automobiles have never been considered to be the pinnacle of aesthetic or even functional design. A good design generally has rhythm, clean lines and subtle visual cues that gently but pleasantly guide the eyes from one region of the car to the other. Good automobile design, like good architecture, must soothe and flow well to the eyes. GM sucks in this regard, and it didn't start with Mr. Aliyu. GM has a long pedigree of uninspiring (ugly, actually) designs that tended to be jarring, angular in motif and visually harsh. Deconstructivism, as a movement, may be suited to architecture, but it is bad form in industrial design. I hate it!

Disclosure: I've never owned a GM automobile and I'll probably never own one, but I consider their climate control engineering to be second to none.

U need to be on top of your game. This topic was well discussed few years back. Wake up from slumber. Just do a simple search on him on this site.
www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-37927.0.html
www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-43248.0.html
www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-37477.0.html

Mr. Aliyu does not fit a world view; he does not fit your stereotype. He is not your “goro” chewing northerner that is regularly caricatured by the southern Nigeria dominated media. Hence, the Lagos-Ibadan axis Press doesn’t know what to make of him.

if the guy was a southerner, some people would be claiming that he is the 'father of the modern car'

oyb:

if the guy was a southerner, some people would be claiming that he is the 'father of the modern car'

well nothing new.

AMERICANS claim they went to the moon just to spike Russian.

Only you can blow your own trumpet loudest!

Most Nigerians are very creative and educative, if given the chance and opportunity.

Well done again

Leave tribalism out of this, u don't xpect to hear an old story repeated because it's good. How about Phillip Emeagwali who won the Nobel prize for supercomputing? I prefer dat to designing a Hummer! But few pple now talk about it.

slap1:

Leave tribalism out of this, u don't xpect to hear an old story repeated because it's good. How about Phillip Emeagwali who won the Nobel prize for supercomputing? I prefer dat to designing a Hummer! But few pple now talk about it.

oyb:

if the guy was a southerner, some people would be claiming that he is the 'father of the modern car'

see how quickly i have been proven right - FYI - emegwali did not win any nobel prize - his fraudulent claims and overinflation of his achievements have been thrashed out on NL time and again. btw the father of the internet is tim berners lee

so if this 'hummer maker' was southerner - no go be just father of modern car , but he won not one but two nobel prizes for designing a super car or some such

4 Play:

Let's be honest,if this man was a Southerner, we would have exaggerated his achievements. It's old news but it's worth celebrating.

Very true. . . I have known about this guy since 2007. . . . .Those from the north need to honour their own, if the people from the south do not want to honour him because he does not fit into their stereotype. . . . .

@oyb. Google Emeagwali, Times magazine called him the "unsung hero of the Internet" and he's also known as Africa's Bill Gates.

better still google 'philip emegwali controversy'

you can even go to the computer section - there's a thread - 'is philip emegwali a media hype?'

slap1:

@oyb. Google Emeagwali, Times magazine called him the "unsung hero of the Internet" and  he's also known as Africa's Bill Gates.  

umm emeagwali achievements are exaggerated and no he isn't an unsung hero of the internet.  The software he won an award for  had to do with geology and computing (not the internet).  It's laughable to call him Africa's Bill Gates considering he didn't successfully defend his dissertation nor has he introduced a lasting product to the market.

there is nothing like "noble prize" for supercomputing.   this is all propaganda.

bawomolo:

umm emeagwali achievements are exaggerated and no he isn't an unsung hero of the internet.  The software he won an award for  had to do with geology and computing (not the internet).  It's laughable to call him Africa's Bill Gates considering he didn't successfully defend his dissertation nor has he introduced a lasting product to the market.

there is nothing like "noble prize" for supercomputing.   this is all propaganda.  

Please tell them Oh. The guy is a big fraud

SEFAGO:

Please tell them Oh. The guy is a big fraud

who no like better thing, noble prize ko peasant price ni