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Jelani Aliyu, Nigerian Lead Designer of GM Cars
The United States remains the second largest automobile market in the world, with over 17 million cars registered in 2016, next only to China's 23 million car registration data. Within that statistics is General Motors, the leading US manufacturer with over 17 percent of US car sales. GM has already sold about half a million cars and light trucks since the beginning of 2017 and behind this success is its design concept and the company's innovations and futuristic features carved into their models by leading designers such as Nigerian born, Jelani Aliyu.
Car designers in the highly competitive global industry must rise above regulatory challenges to create some of the best works in modern history. A peep at any recent car prototype exhibition will convince you that only compelling and gifted designers and creators find work in the industry. Indeed, the lead designers are required to be exceptionally creative geeks.
Aliyu, the Lead Exterior Designer at General Motors Corp. in Michigan, USA is a home-grown Nigerian, He was the lead exterior designer for the Pontiac G6 and the latest sensation Chevrolet Volt Electric Car, a hybrid electric vehicle with a sleek, arcing roofline and one of the leading wheels in the next generation of electric cars.
According to Crain's Detroit Business, GM's designers had about 10 months to create one of the most technologically advanced vehicles at theNorth American International Auto Showand were also instructed to create something that could be produced. Aliyu's design was chosen over proposals from about 20 competing teams.
For inspiration Aliyu looked at nature, the earth and the ocean. “Look at a tiny leaf, it is only a millimeter thick and yet it is a highly efficient factory,” Aliyu said. “I try to understand nature's efficiency and design and I pulled those concepts and applied them to the Chevrolet Volt.”
In addition to a leaf, Aliyu also said the Volt's design draws from the shapes of sharks, whales and sea rays, which are all “very efficient and practical yet stunning.”
Jelani Aliyu is an indigene of Sokoto State, and was born in 1966 in Kaduna State. His odyssey to the creative world of car designing is the typical grass-to-grace story. He attended Birnin Kebbi Polytechnic from 1986 to 1988 where he earned Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in architecture and graduated as the Best All-Round Student. Thereafter, he proceeded to College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan, USA to pursue his dream of designing cars. He studied Automobile and Industrial Design and on completion of his studies, General Motors hired him. Like many Nigerians contributing positively to different spheres of life in the US, Aliyu was hired by the company for his outstanding talent.
Jelani Aliyu recently delivered the 39th convocation lecture of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria on November 29, 2016, titled " Innovation: Key to Economic Growth and Development” in which he offered solutions on how Nigeria can use technological innovation to solve health, energy, agricultural and housing challenges. His concluding statement was that:
"The world that we see and engage with at so many different levels is nothing but a reflection of the inner world within our hearts and minds.... It's what lies in our minds, the pattern of our imagination that will dictate our physical reality. The validity, caliber and potential high standards of our collective Nigerian future depend on what we choose to imagine and focus our mental energies on today".
Indeed, Aliyu holder of the national honors of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), and other hardworking Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora have not forgotten their roots and have been making significant contributions to their communities back home, and to the economy through their huge remittances.”
@ Nigeria Media in Diaspora