Making Spaces for “Makers” in Nigeria: Why It is a Must Do…
I might be tempted to jump very fast into a request for spaces for “Makers” in Nigeria. But to clear some ambiguity, it may be fine if I can tell you a little story to paint a clearer picture of my point.
In the 90s, growing up as a little boy and the last among the nine children of a craftsman, in a small rural Urualla town in Nigeria, I considered my father an idol. One may wonder why I adore him that much. It is not because of his riches, but maybe, because many people do the same. A common craftsman in a small village, he was unable to buy me a bicycle when my mates started owing theirs. Instead, my father picked up an abandoned bicycle from our king’s storehouse and converted it to a custom tricycle that I was so proud of. During the rainy season, the need for umbrella became so high. During this time, my mother had a small umbrella that could not contain me and her when it is raining. He changed it to a big but light canopy, wide enough to house our entire family of nine for her. He added a bunk to our bed for my naughty brother who hated body contact while sleeping. To me, my father was also like a magician.
But those were not all the reason why I considered him my idol. One may mistakenly conclude that my father was a king. But unfortunately, NO. Even though every woman in our community depended on him for her meal, he does not share food but can assist in easing and making the provision of food in every home possible by providing all with facilities such as hearth, pots, stoves, spoons etc at most affordable cost. Hunters love him. We always had many meats to eat. If there were 10 animals caught by hunters in a day, 8 of them were caught in the trap or hunting tools made by my father. All of these came from his small workshop.
Due to these, many people, including myself have always wanted to be like him. Just as I could remember, there were over 10 people yearly in my father’s small workshop going through some sort of apprenticeship. He was building a world of “MAKERS” and was making lives comfortable for the people. He was indeed my idol because he was MAKING stuffs that make lives easier for many people.
What the Heck is “Making”?
Different people have given different definitions to “Making”. But I am at least comfortable with the simple definition that says that “‘Making’ is the process of making or producing something”. Stretching the definition further, “Making” can mean tinkering, do it yourself (DIY), collaboration or putting things together to form something. Luc Lalande, the Manager, Community Innovation at Algonquin College of Applied Art and Technology, Ottawa, Canada, rightly opined that making is not about tool-set but mindset. Luc has made an exceptional contributions in the global field of innovation and making.
If Making is About Making Things, Then Who is a “Maker”?
My quick answer to this, undoubtedly would be, My father, of course. Further, I can say that a “Maker” is someone who makes things. What a silly definition. Yes. Making, most time appears silly when viewed from the lens of a non-maker. Putting water in the clay for sculpting, forging hoes and cutlasses for farming, tying robes between milk cans for communication, paper folding, assembling children building blocks, cutting and binding cardboard, printing paper circuits, blacksmith and 3D printing can all be seen as making. Therefore, one who directly or indirectly gets involved in any of these or the others can be seen as a “Maker”.
Enough of this child’s play! Who is a “Maker”? Well, to sound more professional, if that is what I must do, I can say that a “Maker” is a producer and a creator, and one among those who build and shape our world. A maker appreciate and uses technology to provide possible solutions to most of man’s pressing challenges in an innovative manners. An engineer, an artisan, an inventor, a craftsman, a tinkerer, a hobbyist can all be called a maker. A maker can come from any discipline, art, science etc.
Where are “Makers” Born? Are There “Makers” in Nigeria?
Yes of course. My father is a Nigerian and obviously he is a “Maker”. There are many more others all across the streets of Ariara and Osisioma in Aba, Oye-Ekiti in Ekiti, Osogbo in Osun, Odoakpu and Ose in Onitsha, Yaba and Ikeja in Lagos etc. They make beautiful shoes, textiles/garments, crafts etc. Though lately, Nigerian “Making” has been erroneously narrowed to mean only art and craft. Arts and crafts are the foremost traditional African occupations that can easily be learned through workshop experiments. Art and craft are the integral part of “Making” and are as old as Nigeria and many other African countries. There are good number of “Makers” in Nigeria. What the country lacks is the community to house them and an organized movement to promote the “Makers” culture.
To become a maker, it requires some approach which include attainment of skill. This is akin to what is obtainable in most part of the world. The impartation of this skills can be made in an informal settings, yet the outcome has proven to bring lots of breakthrough in most part of the world. “Making”, more or less is an ancient culture of Africa but was quick to undergo some structural change in the Europe that brought about the industrial revolution. Organized “Makers” movement is promoted in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other developed countries through what is called “Makerspace”.
A “Makerspace” is place for collaboration for “Makers”, tinkerers, artists and artisans, where access to physical spaces and equipment is provided. It encourages a DIY practices, open source, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, human centered designing. It sparks interest in STEAM and enable the members to co-create BIG things. Sometimes, “Makerspace” can be called a “hackerspace” or a “fablab”. Whatever name it is given, it is simply signified by what it offers which is “Making”. These are among the very simple things that is not easily found in Nigeria. A “Makerspace” could afford opportunities to people like Umar Zaki, the young boy that built a tanker without tools, Emmanuel Izuwa, the earliest young Nigerian drone builders who could not initially afford a soldering iron until the intervention of Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF)(an international non-profit organization), Charles Umeh who owns no 3D printer but is working on making cheap 3D printed clinical stethoscope available to village hospitals and many youth alike in Nigeria to bring their ideas to live.
Which Way Nigeria? How are We Building Makers Communities in the Country?
The youth and other less privileged people in Nigerian society can benefit from the implementation of programs and policies that adopt the notion of economic empowerment through active participation in training on “Making” that can be obtained in a “Makerspace”. It is critical to know that the economic empowerment of our youth is one of the main procedural concerns when addressing the issues of poverty, corruption, nepotism and many other negative vices. A well built makers community will tremendously contribute to the nation and global GDP. Makers movement, therefore, should be seen as a necessary step if Nigeria is to overcome the obstacles associated with social re-engineering and economic development.
Nigeria, in deed, needs spaces for makers. These spaces should be in every center of our communities for young people to learn and develop their skills in making practice and productions. The center can be equipped with tools and materials and is made accessible for all youth. “Makerspaces” are engaging and is capable of increasing confidence and providing productive focus on the youth that access and use it. It will as well preoccupy their minds thereby reducing anti-social behaviors among them. Empowering a youth through “Makerspace” can democratize making and promote made in Nigeria products as the makers will be able to critically think and co-create the most innovative methods of developing the nation’s indigenous products.
Nigeria has done well promoting innovation hubs, but unfortunately, makers and tinkerers are yet to get their own share of the opportunity. Youth for Technology Foundation and some others have done amazingly well building technology ecosystem that benefited the youth in the ICT space. The hubs need to be transformed and turned into a vibrant and exciting space
where Nigerian youth can be creatively empowered. Government can invest in establishing Makerspaces in universities, schools and community centers. Here, the creative youths who wish to innovate and create products but lack access to the equipment necessary for innovation and product development can have one. Most of the products in the Nigerian market are imported and of foreign origin. Virtually every technology we consume is foreign. Our economy is excessively dependent on importation. This creates the impression that Nigerians are intellectually inferior to other countries. Making spaces for “Makers” in Nigeria will stimulate indigenous product development and change the country from consumer to producers.
Uchechukwu Ajuonuma
Email : uchearistotle@gmail.com
Twitter : @uchearistotle
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