A Nigerian That Was Attempting AI In 1971 Was Sent To The Psychiatric Hospital
- egunjobi samuel
- 3 days ago
- 1 min read
In the early 1970s, a Nigerian student, Mudashiru Ayeni, believed he had invented a battery-powered robot office assistant and asked to personally demonstrate it to the head of state, Yakubu Gowon. He was sent to a psychiatrist instead.
According to a 1971 feature story by TRUST magazine:
▶️Ayeni made eight visits to the hospital before the psychiatrist certified him to be of sound mind.
▶️The 20-year-old student then wrote to his school principal about the role young Africans were expected to play in the continent’s development.
▶️This time, he was banned from classes and forced to quit school entirely.
▶️Ayeni later reached out to Nigeria’s Federal Commissioner of Communications, Aminu Kano, who encouraged him and gave him a renewed sense of purpose.
▶️How his robot worked: at the press of a button, it told the caller whether the boss was busy, available, or away from the office.
▶️At the time the story was published, Ayeni said several businessmen had already expressed interest in his invention.
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