Meet the 15-year-old Nigerian who builds functioning toy automobiles

For Ikechukwu Divine Oramife, a 15-year-old Nigerian, life is about identifying one’s passion and bracing the odds to making it a reality.

Oramife aspires to become an automobile engineer in the future. In spite of his low-cost background, the teenager has continued to pull the strings with amazing innovations since he was 11.

With determination, an unwavering consistency and sheer dint of hardwork, the precocious kid has inspired several functioning toy automobiles including motorcycle, helicopter, an aeroplane and a caterpillar machine.

Oramife has also produced top luxury vehicles such as Lamborghini 2021 using electronic devices no longer used by those around him.

“I started constructing items like this when I was 11 years of age. I have built a motorcycle, helicopter, aeroplane, tipper, caterpillar machine, Mercedes, Lexus and Lambo 2021,” he told BBC Pidgin.

“I usually build most of my toy automobiles using aluminum, dunlop tyres, super glue, copper wire and a motor. The motor that I use is gotten from condemned DVD. I also construct the tyres on my toy cars.”

Oramife said most of the projects often take him more than a month before completion.

He, however, added that he always feel fulfilled each time he successfully executes his ideas.

“The Lambo 2021 took me one month and two weeks. The excavator also took me one month and two days while I spent two weeks and one day on the tipper,” he said.

“The Lambo 2021 was my hardest project so far, I worked on the door five times before it could work. But when I finished it eventually, I felt happy and congratulated myself for a job well done.”

The teenager said if given the necessary resources, he can produce real automobiles being used by people.

He added that he hopes to pursue his education to enhance his knowledge of automobiles.

“I can produce the one that can be used by people if I’m provided with the right resources. For now, I don’t have the materials to do that,” he said.

“My dream is to become an automobile engineer. I love anything that has to do with machine and motor. That’s why I want to get more education to enhance my knowledge of automobiles than what I know now.

“My next project is to produce a tanker, it would be wireless and have smoke. I’m going to use aluminum zinc for everything.”