We recently connected with Uzochi Kosisochukwu Duru and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Uzochi Kosisochukwu thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

 LydiaRose’s Initiatory initial solution was alternative generation of electricity from palm oil mills connected to grids for communities as is present in Malaysia and Indonesia . The initial idea for LRI came to me because of the local palm oil mills ‘Igwe Nkwu’ in my village Umukara located in Uzinomi Autonomous Community, Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area, Imo State Nigeria. Unfortunately, reality hit me terribly and it dawned on me I had to change course. When LRI’s second and current solution came up, I knew I needed AI to make the company indispensable. I was also working solo for a very long time. 

LydiaRose’s Initiatory (LRI) current solution was inspired after watching an interview video of Tan Le who is founder of EMOTIV Technologies. In that interview, her product helped a man with walking disability drive an F1 car using his brain waves and thoughts. I immediately told myself this was the AI feature LRI needed. 

LRI is a solar company in Portharcourt, Rivers State in the Southern Region of Nigeria that is registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria (CAC) having focus on Sustainable Development Goals 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) & 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). 

This company is set to address the socioeconomic problem of constant power outage in Nigeria by introducing the fusion of Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence with Renewable Energy where customers use brain waves and thoughts to control appliances connected in their solar home system in their homes and offices. Customers get to experience ease in controlling their appliances and witness the diversity of Artificial Intelligence. This will be achieved through 3 products namely – LRI Smartwatch, LRI Switchbox, LRI BCI Headset. BCI is abbreviation for Brain Computer Interface Technology. 

A perfect example is a customer turning off light bulbs in their bedroom with their smile or thought while wearing LRI BCI Headset. As a Startup in it’s early stages, LRI still has a long way to go through building successful prototypes of products but she has made progress with graphic representation videos. I’m not going to mince words and say it’s been easy building. I have lost team members who could not continue because no funds were available, it’s not like I didn’t try applying for grants but I’ve been rejected from over 40 Accelerators, Incubators, Entrepreneurship Bootcamps and Competitions within year 2018 – 2022 because I didn’t fit their eligibility criteria. I’ve cried very hot tears, I’ve wailed deeply in pain, I’ve gotten angry at myself for having an idea that’s way bigger than me and is a combination of three separate highly independent industries. I have suffered high anxiety levels, doubt, depression because guess what?, not only am I faced with financial difficulties, I am Nigerian and I live in a country where dreams die daily because our socioeconomic environment is not particularly completely welcoming, the system has been designed to work against us Youth, this is really evident now in our 2023 electoral season where the freewill and choice of the People over preferred Presidential and Governorship Candidates have been trampled upon using thuggery, violence, rigging of electoral processes. 

Irrespective of the chaos and unwanted drama, I have something absolutely no one can take away from me and that’s my dream for LydiaRose’s Initiatory (LRI). I’ve been told my solution is too advanced for Nigeria and Africa, I’ve been told as a woman my dreams will scare away potential partners from me who will be intimidated, I’ve been told my dream will fail. I won’t ever give up and I will rise far above my temporary limitations because my solution has the success of so many destinies tied to it and is an answer for an advanced technological global generation. We are just laying our foundation. 

Uzochi Kosisochukwu , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Uzochi Kosisochukwu Duru, fondly called Kosi and Uzobaby by family and closest friends. I’m an understanding, easy going, highly intellectual Gen Z young woman born August 7 1997 who loves networking, strives so hard to attain her goals. As the last born of 2 children, my older brother lives in Mississauga Canada with his wife and three daughters, while my Parents live in Iwofe, Portharcourt. I am a selective foodie who loves visiting nice, new places especially restaurants with Nigerian Cuisine. I have a good number of close friends I invest in emotionally, financially, spiritually through intercessory prayers and sharing knowledge by being their support system, they come through for me too. I’m blessed with a supportive community. 

My long term career focus areas are Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Network Marketing, Renewable Energy, Brain Computer Interface Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Space Economy. Through my content on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, I’ll begin sensitization of these knowledge areas through my content (especially writeups) in the last quarter of this year 2023, I still have a lot to put together before I start so I remain consistent. I am obsessed with personal development on 5 levels – Spiritual, Psychological, Physical, Emotional & Financial. You can immediately tell from my response to life issues, suggestions, advice and brain storming conversations I easily engage in. What I’ve realised so far is there are so many individuals who love the idea of personal development and get very excited in conversations, but these same folks never do the much needed work to change their mindsets and behaviours. It’s a sad reality to be honest and I don’t know if it’s laziness or complacency but ‘dem no dey try at all’. 

Graduating from Bowen University, Iwo Nigeria in November 2018 with a Law (LL.B) degree was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, unfortunately it wasn’t. I finished with a 3.40 cgpa in second class lower division (2:2) that was not a true reflection of my intelligence quota. It was after months of deep reflection, prayers and encouragement LydiaRose’s Initiatory was birthed in October 2018 less than a month to graduation. Moving on 2 – 3 years afterwards, I realised my grade pushed me aside from gaining admission for my Masters in best Universities in the United Kingdom, Canada & Australia. I didn’t even get a shot for scholarships or the better job opportunities because my cgpa grade did not fit required criteria of these institutions and organisations. I was in pain and misery for a very long time but I healed from academic heartbreak eventually and moved on with my life. It’s 4.5 years after graduation now and all I can say is I’m alive and still hopeful knowing I have a purpose.

In my home, fresh meals are prepared for breakfast, lunch and dinner 365 days in a year, this means money is budgeted for food items and spent buying in bulk. Now, current situation of electricity supply in Nigeria is highly inconsistent in some states of Nigeria and highly unavailable in most. The national power holding authority of Nigeria has failed in their duty. The ripple effect for a lot of homes like mine is decay of fresh food items and loss of money. 

This is why LydiaRose’s Initiatory has come with a solution to provide her customers a solar home system conveniently controlled with LRI 3 products – LRI Smartwatch, LRI Switchbox, LRI BCI Headset.

Imagine the ease of controlling your television, lights, fridge, fan or air conditioner by smiling or blinking your eyes from the comfort of your bed or sofa. This is the user experience LRI BCI Headset gives her customers who can control their home devices using Bluetooth and WiFi. A BCI Headset is basically a Headset that allows you use your brain waves, thoughts and facial expressions to interact with devices in your environment. 

The LRI Smartwatch gives customers the ability to control home appliances connected in their Solar Home Systems when they are at home or far away from home with the aid of the LRI Solar Home System Application downloadable from the playstore or Apple Store. Your Fan is just one click away from being turned off or turned on. The LRI Switchbox serves as a middleman integrating signals from LRI BCI Headset and LRI Smartwatch to produce expected results for customers in their homes and offices. 

I’m proud that LRI seeks to introduce the diversity of Artificial Intelligence in homes through her innovative products as well as make appliance control easier for her customers. It’s pretty much a revolutionary project if you ask me. 

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Honestly, my life’s trajectory so far has been a movie and battlefield for real and I’ve had very little but significant  phenomenal winning moments I’ll never forget. My stories of resilience are quite a number, but I’ll share a few. 

In 2021, after due consultation with my team member who is Chief Technical Officer, Ekare Testimony Gabe – Oji, he provided 2 separate quotations for development of LydiaRose’s Initiatory 2 prototypes with list of materials and their prices, it amounted to millions of Naira. The best option then to raise this money was through Crowdfunding and as a newbie to stuff like that, the sequence of events that followed in 2021 & 2022 roughly handled me and gravely altered my perception of some type of individuals. I learnt true life lessons that not everyone who is inspired by what you are set to do completely believes you can pull it off and will help you even if they make an offer. 

Within October 26 – December 31 2021, I conducted a Crowdfunding  for the development of LydiaRose’s Initiatory Prototype 1 which is LRI BCI Headset & LRI Switchbox. The amount needed was Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety dollars( $8,290) which as at that time was Four Million, Six Hundred and Sixty One Thousand, Five Hundred Naira (N4,661,500). This Crowdfunding was very unsuccessful. I was heartbroken knowing fully well I tried everything within my means to make this a success but didn’t give up. 

The next year, within June 13 – July 17 2022, I conducted another Crowdfunding for the development of LydiaRose’s Initiatory Prototype 2 which is LRI Smartwatch & LRI Solar Home System Application downloadable from Google playstore and Apple store . The amount needed was Seven Million, One Hundred and Sixty Thousand  Naira (N7,660,000). This second Crowdfunding was also very unsuccessful, worse than the first. 

I wept for weeks asking God why I was not a trust fund baby or celebrity. I wished bitterly my parents were Nigerian politicians or global Entrepreneurs because then it’ll be easier to get this money I needed badly. 

Still in 2022 within the months of June, July and August, I sent over 475 emails to Investors with LRI project concept note attached. Guess what? absolutely nobody responded. I was dazed but I did not give up on myself 

My rejections from Accelerators, Incubators, Entrepreneurship Competitions and Bootcamps broke me because I was reminded I wasn’t good enough and I was not fit for selection. Whatever damn reason they had, I didn’t care, I never took those sad emails in good faith. Successful programs I got selected for are Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program (2019), Young African Leadership Initiative Accra RLC – (2020), Commonwealth 100 (2020) & McKinsey Forward Fellowship (2022). 

I’ll share a list of programs within the last two years that I got rejected from so you know it’s not child’s play. 

Rejected Incubator/Accelerator /Entrepreneurship Competitions & Bootcamp programs applications for LydiaRose’s Initiatory (January 2021  – February 2023) 

1) MASSCHALLENGE ISRAEL 2021 & MASSCHALLENGE USA 2021

2) IFAIR Israel – Nigeria 2021. Went for their maiden edition December 2020, didn’t make it to the last stage. 

3) Tony Elumelu Foundation Women For Africa Acceleration Programme 2021. I’m a 2019 alumni for Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program (TEEP) so I qualified for application. 

4) Halcyon Flagship Fellowship Program (February – July 2022) Washington D. C USA

5) YesDelft Incubator Program (2021/2022) Netherlands

6) IBM (Artificial Intelligence) Mentorship Program in partnership with MASSCHALLENGE 

7) 2021 BRIDGE TO MASS CHALLENGE NIGERIA APPLICATION (B2MC)

8) Startupper Total 2021 

9) Scale 2 Dubai 2021 

10) Nigeria Jubilee Fellowship Program 2021 Application (August 2021) 

11) FUTURE LEADERS Model United Nations (Oct 21 2021) 

12) MASSCHALLENGE ISRAEL 2022 (January 2022) 

13) Norrsken (Sweden) Impact Accelerator (January 2022)

14) The Next Titan Season 9 2022 

15) MTN Pulse Blow My Hustle 2022 

16) Orange Corners Incubator Program 2023 

It’s so easy to encourage another person by telling them ‘be strong and never give up’ until it’s you that has literally has to live out those words. My journey is ongoing and life has helped me unlock a part of myself I never knew, now I can clearly see that my pain, resilience levels in the face of adversity are very high but I didn’t attain this level of self discovery on my own. I’ve had the help of my Lord Jesus Christ. 

In the face of all types of chaotic drama, I’m not holding myself back because I know I have greatly succeeded in life and my company is a multinational across seven (7) continents breaking through the Nigerian Market, African Market, International Market and Emerging Markets. Because of this knowledge I have and hold dear, I’ll keep forging ahead because I know help is coming for my cause from governments of nations, international organisations, millionaires, billionaires who will believe in my offering and vision without hassle and run with it. 

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

 In my country Nigeria and many other countries in Africa, a woman is designed to be raised for marriage, child bearing/rearing and home keeping. This responsibility thus comes with many unrealistic expectations and limitations and she never fulfils a higher calling or purpose in her life because of what has been given to her by family, strangers who have the best ideas on how her life should be. 

Well, too bad for naysayers because I have a very different orientation and I know for a fact Women are made for more. As a Founder who knows she is breaking into an unexplored global space in career, I’m well aware of what my timely actions and decisions will do to many women and young girls who will look up to me. I’ll keep telling them and showing them how they’re unstoppable, unlimited and can achieve absolutely anything they put their minds to. So many people won’t like the change this will cause in the hearts of these wonderful females because they’ll instantly have to answer to a higher calling and transform their lives and communities.

So with all I’ve said, an important lesson I’ve had to unlearn is ‘ambitious women never find true love and have successful marriages’. I did this through positive thinking, and spoken declarations of success, greatness, happiness, fulfillment over my life and future. This is a very big lie sold by people with small and extremely limited minds. It might have been the reality of some women, but they took charge over their lives and changed their own stories themselves by unlocking inner strength in them and believing they deserved happiness. These women have found men and have been found by men who matched their energies, ambitions and now their lives are testimonies of grace, redemption, healing and being loved the right way. There’s a set standard and only disciplined, self aware, highly personally developed men and women attain this level and reap benefits, it’s really not for everybody. 

I am very well aware that bad things happen to women in different seasons of their lives, I’m not naive and I sincerely hope they find their voice, rise up, redeem themselves, attain greatness and shut up the mouths of doubters. 

However, I have chosen to focus on and zoom in on those women who are living my dream, they are out there breaking barriers in career, business, marriage for me and my sisters so we do same for our younger girls. They are in their numbers and they are my inspiration. According to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who is my trailblazer and I love so much even if she has no idea yet I exist, ‘I have no business with a man who is intimidated by my success, he is simply not for me’. 

In a world where marriage is no longer appealing for many and divorce rates are getting higher for a plethora of reasons, I Duru Uzochi Kosisochukwu will get married to a man who has been specially designed for me and my destiny by Jehovah Jireh. Our union will be a great blessing to nations and In unity, love, direction of the Holy Spirit, we will raise children who will be flag bearers of God’s Kingdom on Earth fulfilling purpose and absolutely everything they’ve been called to be.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kosisochukwuduru
• Facebook: Kosisochukwu Duru – Name
• Linkedin: Uzochi K. Duru – Name
• Twitter: @kosiso_duru

Image Credits
iPhone & Samsung S20 FE