Etor’s initial breakthrough occurred during a national service assignment in Nigeria, where he observed numerous locals being hospitalized due to food poisoning caused by attempting to preserve food by drying it in open fields.
To address this issue, he designed and constructed a solar oven.
He noted that the invention worked incredibly well, a success that ultimately earned him a state government award and a job offer.
He subsequently completed an undergraduate degree at Newcastle University and a doctorate at the University of Durham, eventually securing his current position in Bristol.
Sir Steve Webb, the former Member of Parliament and Pensions Minister, who came to know Etor through his church in Bristol, described his achievements as ‘remarkable’.
“His core message is that individuals should not be defined by their upbringing or background,” he stated. “They should never be written off.”
“I was literally pinching myself on my way here this morning,” Etor added.
“Nothing good was ever supposed to come out of me.”