By Masara Kim
(Jos) Genocidal wars don’t stop designer geniuses, and Jerry Isaac Mallo is proof of it.
Twenty-something Mallo cruised to church on Resurrection Sunday in his brand-new, Lime-Green Bennie Sternum, a sleek super sports car he crafted himself. Hailing from a small Christian community in central Nigeria, Mallo represents a wave of extraordinary talent emerging despite ongoing Islamic terror attacks in the region.
Hand-crafted from locally sourced materials and parts, the stylish sports car, shaped like a leaping hare, is the latest in a series of impressive creations by Mr. Mallo. It was recently unveiled in a colorful ceremony streamed live on the internet, coinciding with the Easter celebrations.
Born in the mid-1990s in the remote village of Kunet, 42 miles south of Jos, the capital of Plateau state, Mallo developed an interest in science and technology from a young age. Faced with challenges, including poverty exacerbated by attacks and neglect from the government, Mallo was unable to pursue further education after high school. However, driven by his determination to fulfill his dreams, he embarked on a journey of self-learning at home, beginning to fabricate simple equipment for household use.
Creation of ‘The Purrie’
In 2016, he achieved his first success in automobile fabrication by creating a mini tractor, earning both local and international recognition. Five years later, he unveiled his first homemade car, named Purrie, derived from a local term for hare. Diversifying into industrial machine fabrication and manufacturing, Mallo continued to impress the world with his innovations. His latest creation, the Bennie Sternum sports car, represents an advancement in design, boasting improved aerodynamics and engine performance.
The sleek luxury ride engineered for the African landscape is powered by an 8.2 V8 gas engine. This beauty is built to conquer rough terrain with adjustable height settings ranging from 3 to 12 inches ground clearance. Whether cruising on pavement or tackling untamed paths, it’s got you covered. Plus, it’s got a unique power storage unit that can even juice up your home!
Sporting 17-inch rims up front and 19-inchers in the back, the machine is aerodynamically designed for top-notch acceleration, drawing inspiration from the swift and nimble bush rabbit. With its gold doors resembling rabbit ears and a powerhouse engine nestled in the rear, it’s all about balance and efficiency without compromising on luxury.
But it’s not just about speed and style – the Bennie Sternum also packs practical features like a built-in umbrella for those unpredictable African weather conditions, GPS navigation, and intuitive wheel controls within its plush interior. It’s a testament to what can be achieved with innovation and investment in the African automotive industry. Most importantly, the Bennie Sternum is a stunning story of resilience, highlighting the genius talents sprouting from the ashes of persecution in Plateau State.
“This is just us telling the world we might be broken but not crushed,” said Mallo to TruthNigeria. “We want to tell the world and Africans in particular that regardless of our situation, we can change our story and be global solution providers,” Mallo said in an online interview.
Highlighting his ten-year journey in the automotive industry, Mallo shared that his focus has been on finding solutions to the very challenges that threatened his own existence.
Poverty Was Key to Motivation
“Poverty was a major driver,” Mallo texted. “The fact that we worked for more than we earned was enough for me to do something to change the narrative,” noted Mallo.
“Going to farm and spending long hours working was really challenging,” Mallo recalled. “Instead of going to the farm and spending long hours, I always wished I had equipment that would shorten the time I spent on the farm and therefore I had to put energy into researching and fabricating farm equipment,” Mallo said.
The World Bank estimates that Nigeria’s poverty rate rose to 38.9% in 2023, up from 37% the previous year, with 87 million Nigerians living below the poverty line—the world’s second-largest poor population after India.
According to a recent report by the World Bank, Nigeria experienced significant and sustained economic growth of over 7% annually since returning to democratic rule in 2000 after a prolonged military dictatorship. However, this growth trend shifted after 2015 when the current ruling All Progressives Congress Party came to power following controversial elections.
Between 2015 and 2022, growth rates declined, and GDP per capita stagnated under former President Muhammadu Buhari. The former president faced accusations of turning a blind eye to persecution of Christians and advancing an Islamic agenda through his policies and appointments. This potentially exacerbated poverty and vulnerability in many Christian rural communities amid escalating terror threats.
“Poverty is an important aspect of vulnerability to natural hazards as it directly influences vulnerability indicators: exposure, sensitivity, and coping capacity,” according to American authors Ian Burton, Robert William Kates, Gilbert F. White in their 1978 joint book, “The environment as hazard.” Despite these challenges, Mallo remained determined to be a beacon of hope and survival in his community.
“The attacks challenged my thinking — trying to see how we could make more money to secure or protect ourselves, how we could leverage local technology to protect ourselves was what drove me into machine fabrications,” Mallo said.
Recently, just 2 miles from Mallo’s hometown, civilian volunteers courageously confronted terrorists in an intense eight-hour firefight reported by TruthNigeria. Armed with homemade single-shot pipe guns, around 15 vigilantes including from Kunet successfully defended Butura Kampani against more than 300 terrorists armed with assault rifles on January 17, causing the deaths of dozens of attackers. Whereas the Nigerian army claimed credit for the vigilantes’ successes, TruthNigeria has documented similar victories across many communities in the northern region facing heightened terror threats.
Despite financial challenges and competition from imported products, Mallo remains undeterred. He is leveraging his ingenuity by focusing on sports cars, known for their complexity in production, to break into the automotive industry. His goal is to create brands capable of competing with global giants such as Tesla and Lamborghini.
“Since we started, we’ve faced numerous challenges. But we’ve grown, we’ve learned and have continued to press toward our goals,” Mallo said.
“We currently produce more than 20 different Agro products, and we have our users across the 36 states of Nigeria. We are currently looking forward to exporting to other African countries as we’ve been getting requests from farmers across the continent,” Mallo stated.
“The goal is to see that we become key players in the industry. It is to see that we make more affordable products available to our people both in the automotive industry and Agro allied aspect,” he concluded.
—Masara Kim is the senior editor of TruthNigeria and is a native of Bokkos County (Local Governance Area).
