Meet Israel Ugwuogwu; the Nigerian graduate winning accolades with his rare talents

When Max Roser, an American Economist and Philosopher opined that, "Talent and ability are everywhere, but opportunity is not”, he must have heard about Israel Oluchukwu Ugwuogwu, a young talented Nigerian graduate of Material and Metallurgical Engineering.

Israel recently thrilled the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, community with his newly built airplanes.

Israel, a fresh graduate of one of Nigeria's leading universities; the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, said he began to build airplanes from childhood with styro foams and other materials he could afford at that time, as he had always desired to be a world-class aeronautical engineer.

Flying the airplane at the near-crowded Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, University of Nigeria, Nsukka recently, members of the university community and other spectators both old and young were seen jubilating and wondering how he got such rare talents.

“My dream has always been how and when I’ll become an aeronautical engineer but I have a very poor family background that has limited my growth so much. I spent my childhood building airplanes.

"One of our teachers back then gave us an assignment to construct a moving object, and I constructed an airplane. That airplane won me a scholarship during my secondary school days because it was able to take off. It was like magic to my teachers because they hadn’t seen such a thing before," Israel narrated.

Israel explained that although he does not regret studying material and metallurgical engineering, he would have gone for aeronautical if he had been financially equipped to do so.

The young graduate who recalled how his mother used to seize his airplane materials each time he refused to sleep nor eat because he was bent on finishing his plane projects at that point, also decried how many of his friends discouraged him from the fruitless journey of building airplanes because people with such talents are rarely supported back in Nigeria.

“They tell me I am wasting my time building airplanes. They say no one will support me and that I had better looked for something else that will fetch me money to do. That Nigeria is not America where young talents are supported. I feel bad each time they give me reasons to quit but each time I want to give up, the desire to continue will not let me,” Israel decried.

Asked how he acquired the knowledge and materials for his construction, Israel noted that he has neither seen a live airplane nor had the opportunity to receive any conventional training on airplane construction, but that whenever he lays his head to sleep, the inspiration takes over him.

And he begins to see how and what to put together to make it work. He also recounted how he paid through the nose to import the batteries and other expensive materials needed to fly the planes and make them balance when they take off.

"Sometimes, the inspiration takes over me that the only thing I think about is how to build more airplanes of different sizes and shapes. I am almost going depressed because I feel like something is caged inside of me that needs to be unleashed but I haven't got sponsors to help me unleash them.

"I need more training. I need more education. And this is why I seek help from good spirited individuals and the government to please help me out," Israel added.

A visit to Eha-Alumona, the hometown of this young talent, revealed his widowed mother in a pitiable condition.

Mrs Florence Ugwuogwu lamented that despite the fact that no one taught Israel how to go about airplane construction, he began to gather materials of various sizes to build them.

"I used to beat him seriously for littering my house with his materials but not anymore after I discovered it is in him. He told me one day that he will build a live airplane that will carry me. I don’t have money to sponsor his career.

"It was through the mercy of God that he even graduated from the university. I only pray to God and to everyone to come to our aid and help my son get to his destination," Mrs Ugwuogwu decried.

“Israel is naturally talented. For somebody that has not received any conventional training in building airplanes to do these wonders, his type needs every support he deserves. I was amazed to see the plane take off. Wow! The talent is there, all he needs is great support from around the world and you’ll see him do more wonders.”

Ezugwu Samuel Ngwu, Media Aide to Nsukka local government Chairman commented after watching the planes take off.

Other spectators at the stadium added their voices to encourage Israel to remain hopeful as they prayed for helpers to locate him soon enough to avoid his light going dim.