THISDAYonline

Biodun Marquis may be an unknown quantity in Nigeria's information and computer technology circles, but drawing from the lessons of the mustard seed, he dares anyone to underestimate his capability to lead the country into the league of information technology (IT) nations. With a boyish smile playing on his youthful face, Marquis believes he has taken the long route to the top and further challenges could only draw out the best from his experiences and introspections on Nigeria's quest for (IT) acquisition.

Still in his early thirties, rather than join his contemporaries in importing consumer goods with its quick returns and minimum risks, Marquis went into technology acquisition seven years ago. It is therefore not surprising that while Mr Stan Ekeh, considered a giant in the IT industry is celebrating the launch of his first made in Nigeria computer, Marquis is contesting who should get the credit. He says that is no reason why he should not be given a credit he says rightfully belongs to him: "I made Nigeria's first computer" he declares emphatically. Though no one has disputed his claims, Marquis knows he had to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he really did. He unlocks a steel cabinet and brings out a bulky file filled with newspaper cuttings.

He spreads the cuttings on his cluttered desk: "As you can see these are press reports of the media launch of Pragmatic notebook which was done in May this year at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria ISland, Lagos"

"Is it important who manufactured the Country's first personal computer?" This reporter prods.

"Yes", He returns, "For historical reasons it is only fair that Biodun Marquis and Pragmatic notebook, respectively the creator and product be given the credit. We were the first to formally announce the creation of a Nigerian computer in May this year, we were not aware before then of any claim by any other company. We made our first sale to an individual a week later after our media launch"

Could it be his launch was not done with the pomp and pageantry such a breakthrough deserves?"

"We made a reasonable and modest launch. it is not that we did not celebrate the occasion, but we did not need to go into unnecessary razzmattazz, some of the best ideas come in unanncounced"

Marquis is an Electrical/Electronics Engineer, but he says his interest and affinity for ICT was not picked up from the Obafemi Awolowo University where he studied. "I would say my interest in technology was in-born, some of my childhood memories is about tampering and damaging my father's Grundig set and the family's christmas light. of course I got the beating of my life for this, but nothing could quench this flickering uncertain interest."

For him the idiom that necessity is the mother of invention came true and launched him into the multi-millionaire class. "I stumbled on the idea that it is possible to do it now, without gigantic factories and extensive capital outlay when I was planning to replace my laptop which I do annually. As I mediated on how to cough out N350,000 for a brand new piece, I began to wonder why the thing cost so much, this led me into researching the issue and I discovered that the costs of notebooks is determined by foreign labour and distribution costs. The challenge was to remove these factors"

By manufacturing his own notebook, Marquis saved himself about N150,000, this was the beginning of a prosperous unit in his hi-tech company and today he has manufactured and sold over 100 pieces of Pragmatic notebooks which he named after his company, Pragmatic Technologies.

The youthful entrepreneur was asked to defend the use of manufacture since any competent computer engineer could also couple together a computer. "No individual company anywhere builds a notebook from scratch, computers are not manufactured 100 per cent in one factory. The practice is to source components from different sources, assemble and put a brand name on it. For me I source my material everywhere, Taiwan provides hard disk, RAM, CPU. I have even gotten components here in Nigeria, well, from Microsoft office here in the country."

Contrary to insinuations that there is no market for computers, Marquis says there is local demand for computers. But he says he has no plans to go into mass production of computers. "Our concept at Pragmatic Technologies is to build customized computers, you tell us what you want, and we build to suit your technical specifications and your budget, Remember, imported ones comes with pre-determined configuration, but we customise to the last detail, nothing is forced on you, you only buy what you need"

Marquis says he has encountered prejudice in his bid to market Pragmatic notebook and knows he will continue to encounter same: "We have been able to convince people that our products are as good as the foreign ones. I tell clients if you have money to throw around, buy the foreign ones, but if you want value for money, buy ours. Our computer is different because we have quality, reliability and affordability"

Though he boasts that his notebooks are comparable if not unique from the mass produced foreign ones, he is backing up his claims with generous incentives. He says: "We are providing a product that is equally as good as any. Our product is not just a flash in the pan, we are the only local company offering a money-back 30 days guarantee on all our products and a three years warranty."

He proffers that his liberal sales incentives is not motivated solely by profit-making. "Everything we do here ties in with our corporate mission statement which is 'to provide IT products which have quality, reliability and affordability at the lowest cost possible'. Our believe is that to experience IT or for Nigeria to computerise, IT products must be affordable" He explains that the way to bring down the high cost of IT products is to reduce the foreign input and also to produce more to get an economy of scale which gets transferred to the consumer.

The young entrepreneur believes that if the Nigerian government can give the IT industry the kind of support Japanese government gave to its automobile industry, Nigeria would join the league of IT nations in the quickest possible time. "If you look around now, everything is IT-centric, it is the modern way of doing things. Demand for IT products will grow and if we could meet this demand locally, the boost to our economy will be unbelievable.

"Amongst others, it will be a investment to the local economy, it will conserve our foreign exchange and be a percusor to our becoming self-reliant, if you reduce any foreign input to a product, it is a percusor to the country becoming self reliant. It is an idea long overdue, not just for the notebook, but for many other products"

Marquis argues that since the components like intel, hard disc used in computers all over the world are standardised, and since he uses standard components, he has no doubts his product belongs to the first league."

He enumerates the difference a local brand makes. Amongst others, he says locally made computer reduces costs by at least 30 per cent which makes it more affordable to a greater number of buyers.

"The Nigerian environment is hostile to sincere and genuine investment. Should I tell you about my experience with the German emigration authorities while on a business trip to that country in 1998? He asks rhetorically, but refused to elaborate.

Notwithstanding, he forsees a boom in the sector, but says his four bed-room office might not expand in the near future and explains why: "We do not plan a factory yet, but we can roll out enough systems as required by Nigerians. Our management system is to be very nimble, flexible, avoid unnecessary inventory, keep costs down, but respond rapidly as occasion determines. For instance, if we get an order for 200 pieces, we can respond rapidly to it as the occasion demands"

Marquis traces his early beginnings and what had kept him focussed. " I am not born with the proverbial silver spoon, though I come from a privileged background.After graduating, I started out by working for others for over six years, but along the line, I got a contract on private basis and since then, my seed capital has grown over 10,000 times.

"But my motivation is not money making for money sake. I offer service to make money, I seek to create wealth. Supply as in contracts, round-tripping are all forms of economic activities, but it does not add real value to the economy.

"My definition of real growth is making product or offering service that have real impact on economic growth, by doing it positively, you make your own wealth, that is my motivation"