By Izunna Okafor, Awka
An indigene of Anambra State, Engr. Uzoma Isaiah has produced two functional phones, using wood as one of its major raw materials.
Engr. Isaiah, a native of Nnobi community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was recently spotted at a busy market with the two phones, which attracted the attention of a social media influencer, Emma Nwanna, who curiously engaged him in a videoed discussion regarding the inventions.
The 3-minute-35-second interview video, which has gone viral on social media, shows Engr. Isaiah giving an overview of his inventions, their components, and their functionalities.
According to him, the bigger-sized phone was the first version/model, which he produced two years ago; while the smaller-sized one is an improved/second version/model of the invention, which he recently produced — all functional and sim card compatible.
Continuing, he said the lines of code in the first model were no less than one thousand, while there are more than two hundred thousand lines of code in the second model.
His words: “What we produced here is a phone. It’s a functional phone.
“This is the first version of the phone. This is the first version. Now this is the second version of the phone.
“We produced this one last two years. Then we started working on this. The lines of code here is no less than one thousand. But the lines of code here is more than two hundred thousand lines of code. And this is the first phone ever made in Africa; built by an African man.
“All these big companies, you see them in China, in Europe, in America. We want to establish our own phone by ourselves here. What we need is a machine that, you see the packaging. We packaged it with just wood. The IC we use inside this thing is ESP32. Then with SIM module.
“Once you slot any SIM card, it will tell you what SIM card it is. This thing you can use it to… whatever Nokia phone can do this phone can do it. Whatever Nokia Torch can do, it can do.
“So, what we are asking is for our people to help us. We want to grow. We want Africa to grow. Don’t look at it as a one man something. I, Isaiah cannot grow in isolation. Somebody will come, I will teach him. A single tree can never make a forest. Somebody will come; I will employ people. They will learn all these things.
“Our own is to sit down, learn, think, and innovate… God has given us the talents. What we need our people to do is just to sponsor us. Just sponsor us. Then we will show us why God has blessed an Igbo man with intelligence…”
Watch the video below:
For those who might be interested in extending hands of support, encouragement, or even partnership; Engr. Isaiah also gave out his phone number as: 08034802876 .
This reporter, Izunna Okafor gathered that Engr. Isaiah built the first model of his phone sometime in the first quarter of 2022, after which he received some supports and encouragements from some good-spirited individuals, which motivated and enabled him to go into further invention that resulted in the production of the latest improved version of the phone.
Watch the video below:
