Jelani Aliyu, a Nigerian designer who designed a
globally renowned electric car, the Chevrolet Volt was recently
appointed by President Buhari as the director-general of the Nigerian
Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC).
The Chevrolet Volt has been described as a modern day revolutionary product, one that would change the world.
As the head of the council, Aliyu, would be in charge of implementing
new development policies for Nigeria’s automobile industry.
Here is a brief biography on Aliyu.
Background
Jelani Aliyu is a Muslim who was born in Kaduna, in 1966 to parents,
Aliya Haidara and Sharifiya Aliyu, from Sokoto state. He is the fifth of
seven children.
Education
He attended Capital School, Sokoto from 1971 to 1978. In 1978, he
gained admission into Federal Government College, Sokoto, and graduated
in 1983 with an award as best in Technical Drawing. Aliyu went to Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, for his A-levels. He later dropped out and
enrolled in the Birnin Kebbi Polythechnic in Kebbi state, where he
graduated as the best all-round student and earned a degree in
Architecture.
Like every genius, Aliyu wanted to learn more so in 1990, he went
ahead to study Transportation Design at the College for Creative Studies
in Detroit. He was able to further his education in Detroit on a Sokoto
state government scholarship and he graduated in 1994.
Career
After graduation, he was immediately noticed by an American
multinational corporation that designs and markets vehicles, General
Motors. GM vehicles are sold under various brands such as, Buick,
Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden and many more. He began his career as a
design staff at General Motors in 1994 and he has been with GM since
then. Jelani Aliyu is considered by many as the super star of the
General Motors renaissance.
Inspiration
Aliyu expressed that he has always been inspired by nature, things
that surrounds him and his imagination. For a man with a mind like his,
that simply means he sees ideas in everything and everywhere. In an
interview with Daily Trust, in 2016, Aliyu said:
“Growing
up, I’ve always loved science fiction and in the movies you’d see a lot
of alien spacecraft and other futuristic, imaginative things that would
inspire me to look beyond. I also love cars a lot, even though then we
didn’t have Ferraris in Sokoto. But we did have magazines in which I saw
them and they inspired me, too. So I put together my love for drawing
and cars and decided to be a car designer.”
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Great Inventor Jelani Aliyu |
Dreams
His dreams for Nigeria Aliyu says he wants an automobile industry in
Nigeria that designs vehicles for Nigerians, a vehicle that tune into
the history and culture of Nigeria.
“A Nigerian vehicle that
is conceptualized, designed and developed by Nigerians for Nigerians in
Nigeria. When I say Nigerian vehicle, I don’t necessarily mean the
whole thing, but a vehicle designed specifically for the Nigerian
populace. A vehicle in tune with the history, culture, environment and
economic structure of the people, and I think we are heading there.”
Achievements
Aliyu invented the Chevrolet Volt, a battery-powered, extended range
passenger vehicle which was described as General Motors’ most
electrifying advanced technologic vehicle.” The Chevrolet Volt has an
electric generator powered by an internal combustion engine with the
capacity of 62 kW. It has a fuel tank capacity of 45 liters. The fuel
tank combined with the battery charge gives it enough to run for 640
miles.
He Co-designed the Buick Rendezvous. He was the lead exterior
designer of the Pontiac G6. In 2014, his invention ‘the Chevrolet Volt’
was given an award by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
for the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the market.
Dreams
His dreams for Nigeria Aliyu says he wants an automobile industry in
Nigeria that designs vehicles for Nigerians, a vehicle that tune into
the history and culture of Nigeria.
“A Nigerian vehicle that
is conceptualized, designed and developed by Nigerians for Nigerians in
Nigeria. When I say Nigerian vehicle, I don’t necessarily mean the
whole thing, but a vehicle designed specifically for the Nigerian
populace. A vehicle in tune with the history, culture, environment and
economic structure of the people, and I think we are heading there.”
Achievements
Aliyu invented the Chevrolet Volt, a battery-powered, extended range
passenger vehicle which was described as General Motors’ most
electrifying advanced technologic vehicle.” The Chevrolet Volt has an
electric generator powered by an internal combustion engine with the
capacity of 62 kW. It has a fuel tank capacity of 45 liters. The fuel
tank combined with the battery charge gives it enough to run for 640
miles.
He Co-designed the Buick Rendezvous. He was the lead exterior
designer of the Pontiac G6. In 2014, his invention ‘the Chevrolet Volt’
was given an award by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
for the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the market.
Its a Great thing we have Genuises coming out from a continent as Africa especially a Country As Nigeria.