How I grew from scribbling child to car designer – Jelani Aliyu

Born in Kaduna to parents originally from Sokoto State, he began his A-levels in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, but later dropped out and enrolled in the Birnin Kebbi Polythechnic, Kebbi State, bagging an OND in Architecture in 1988. He proceeded to study Transportation Design in Detroit, at the College for Creative Studies on a Sokoto […]

Born in Kaduna to parents originally from Sokoto State, he began his A-levels in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, but later dropped out and enrolled in the Birnin Kebbi Polythechnic, Kebbi State, bagging an OND in Architecture in 1988. He proceeded to study Transportation Design in Detroit, at the College for Creative Studies on a Sokoto State Government scholarship and as soon as he graduated, he was snapped up by General Motors, the world’s second largest car manufacturer. With all his career successes – which include working on many successful models including the stunning Pontiac G6, as well as a national award as Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in Nigeria in 2012 – he is hoping all the attention he’s getting will inspire other Nigerians to pursue their dreams.

What drove you into the automotive designing industry?
Jelani Aliyu: I’ve always loved drawing. Things around me, objects, people, plants, also stuff from my imagination. 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.
I watched a lot of ‘Space: 1999’ and I also liked ‘Planet of the Apes’ a lot. I also read comic books, mostly the British ones like Beano, Whizzer & Chips, Buster, etc. I also read a lot of the black and white war comics, called ‘Commando’. All these fuelled my interest in drawing and always got me scribbling when I was a child.
At what age did you design your first car?
Aliyu: I would say I have been drawing cars and designing them as far back as I could remember, probably from when I was six or seven. I would draw them first, cut out the top and bottom, and then put them together from empty tins. I did that a lot and I would imagine myself owning my own car company. Whenever I thumbed through a magazine and saw the latest Mercedes Benz car, I’d also do my own version. It was fun.
Is your own car company something we should expect?
Aliyu: That’s something Nigerians need and the time for that is now. If you look at the market, Nigeria’s population is over a hundred and seventy million. Lots of people live in remote areas and even in our cities we need new and more effective transport solutions. So this is the time to really have something in place in terms of cars for Nigeria.
You had to leave for a polytechnic to pursue your dream. Do you think Nigerian universities have what it takes to groom people to get where you are now?
Aliyu: Where I work now, General Motors (GM) that is, up till now they haven’t asked for my degree or the certificate. They’ve never seen it. All they care about is what I can design and produce. When they offered me a job, it was not based on the certificate but on the design presentations that I’d made. It shows the emphasis they give to creativity and the capability each individual has. And that’s what Nigerians and Nigerian institutions need to do, to look beyond the certificate, paper or whatever they call it.
Most parents want their children to be either doctors or lawyers. How supportive were yours in your choice of career?
Aliyu: My parents let me decide what I wanted to do. For example, when I went to Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and decided I didn’t want to continue there, they were supportive. They didn’t insist that I had to remain there. They’ve always been supportive and understanding.
What sparks an idea for you?
Aliyu: I get a lot from nature. I get inspired by the low leaf on the lean tree, grain of rice, looking at animals on the Serengeti, the cheetah, the giraffe and so on. We live on a truly magical planet and that’s the source of my inspiration.
Over time, tech has developed. How has this affected the way you design cars now?
Aliyu: When I first went for a course on Creative Studies, all the drawing and designing were done on paper. But now it’s all digital. From the first sketch to advanced levels like error testing or dynamism, everything is done digitally now. An important thing is that it also depends on the individual. Everyone has a way of coming up with a concept. For me, the best way is just to sit with a pen and paper and keep coming out with solutions as I watch nature on Discovery Channel. Once I do that, I just scan it in. I guess that was what happened with the Volt. I kind of came up with the feel and look at home watching TV and went through a number of them, saying to myself ‘this is really good’. Digital saves time and money and makes the designing process more effective.
Do you think the automobile industry is going to pick up in Nigeria anytime soon?
Aliyu: I think with the new automotive policy, with the support the government is giving to the industry, it has begun to create the momentum needed. We just need to continue pushing it through the next stages, especially in terms of enabling 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.
Nigerians buy a lot of cars. From your point of view, what’s our nation’s role globally?
Aliyu: To develop vehicles, not only for Nigerians but for West Africa, Africa and the world. We have a unique, extreme environment so if we have a vehicle that works in Africa, it would work better elsewhere in the world.
How often do you visit Nigeria?
Aliyu: As often as I can. There is really a lot of opportunity here and I am committed to give more support. I was here two years ago. I’m very proud to be from Nigeria, as we’re people with a lot of history and power. It’s a privilege to have come from this country.
What do you miss most about Nigeria?
Aliyu: Family and friends.
What’s your favorite Nigerian food?
Aliyu: I actually have two favorite dishes. Tuwon Shinkafa with Miyan Sure and pounded yam with Egusi soup. My wife, Hadiza, who’s from Sokoto too, makes them at home in Michigan.
Have any of your kids taken interest in what you do?
Aliyu: We’ve got three kids and my second son is really into drawing and he loves cars. He’s really impressed me a lot with his creativity. He is showing traits I had when I was young and I have no doubt that he will take after me.
Have you encountered any local talent you feel is worthy of encouragement?
Aliyu: I have had several encounters which are quite fascinating, especially in the old model field. There are a couple of young talented young men that I have really been impressed with. What we are really doing right now is trying to get them admission into schools abroad. What I’d really like to say is that the state government where this talented youth comes from should support them. I had the privilege of getting a Sokoto State scholarship. We need creativity and we need to appreciate that our country needs more than just doctors and lawyers. For a country to move forward, an integral part of that developmental process is Industrial Design. So we need to understand the importance of that sector by training people who already have a talent.
Is there a fast car out there, non-Chevrolet, which you adore?  
Aliyu: I love Ferraris. I almost went to Italy to study car design but I didn’t want to learn Italian. I just wanted to get to the stage and express myself. Having to study the language stopped me from studying in Italy.
I think almost everyone loves a fast car. The good thing is a lot of them are becoming environmentally friendly.
What do you think the future holds for cars?
Aliyu: It’s incredible and fascinating. The future of transportation solution is vast. We’re talking about renewal of energy, sustainability and recyclability. We are beginning to go into self-driving vehicles, which would open up a whole new generation of transportation solutions. Maybe we’d not have to call them cars anymore. An interesting thing happening is that there is a lot of computerization going into vehicles. So the big question is, are we actually computerizing vehicles or are we one day going to be moved around by computers?