Nikola Tesla was a physicist, engineer, inventor and futurist, with over 700 inventions in the areas of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. He has, in fact, been referred to as Father of the 20^th Century.

Because the story of the 20^th century has been described as the story of electricity. Nigeria needs a Nikola Tesla. Nigeria deserves Electric Power.

Interestingly, on the 72^ndanniversary of the death of Nikola Tesla, January 7, 2015 the National Innovation Research council had its first meeting. Tesla’s inventions were largely responsible for the rise and industrialisation of the United States and, he created several industries worth billions of dollars.

On the NRIC, according to the Premium Times, President Muhammadu Buhari said: “By this action, Nigeria will become a centre of discoveries, inventions and innovation in all fields of science and technology. Before long we should be in a position to produce Nobel laureates in the sciences.” In 1915, the paper reported that Tesla was to share the Nobel Prize for Physics with Thomas Alva Edison, but due to a “tragic mistake” it was awarded to two other physicists.

Between Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, it has been asked, “Who is the greatest?”

Interestingly, again, Nigeria’s former Minister of Science and Technology (1993)/Power and Steel (2011) Prof Barth Nnaji, following in the footsteps of Tesla, being a roboticist, physicist, engineer and power entrepreneur, was born exactly 100 years and three days after the birth of Nikola Tesla on July 13, 1956. We should also be planning to celebrate Barth Nnaji, one of the greatest engineers of the last quarter of the 20^th century.

•COINCIDENCES is a periodic column published on selected Wednesdays. The next appearance will be on August 8, 2018. The columnist, Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth, is based in England, Britain, but can be reached via e-mail through atogonub@yahoo.com; atogonub@hotmail.co.uk or info@newsexpressngr.com

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