How One Nigerian Sculptor Turned His Brother’s Tragedy into Africa’s First Hyper-Realistic Dark-Skin Prosthetics
What began as a personal mission to restore his brother’s confidence has grown into a globally recognised innovation in prosthetic care.
In 2018, Ubokobong Amanam lost several fingers in an accident. His family ordered a prosthetic hand from abroad, hoping it would help him adjust to life after the injury. However, when it arrived, they discovered it was made in a bright white skin tone that did not match his complexion.
Determined to find a better solution, his elder brother, John Amanam, a sculptor with no formal medical training, embarked on a journey to create a realistic prosthetic that reflected African skin tones.
John spent more than a year teaching himself silicone prosthetic fabrication, pigmentation and mould-making techniques. His efforts culminated in 2019 when he produced what is widely regarded as Africa’s first hyper-realistic dark-skin prosthetic for his brother.
The innovation later led to the establishment of Immortal Cosmetic Art, a Nigerian company specialising in lifelike prosthetic body parts.
According to the company, it has since provided prosthetic hands, fingers, ears, noses and other cosmetic restorations to more than 5,000 clients across over 60 countries.
Each prosthetic is individually handcrafted and painted to replicate natural skin tones, veins and nails, offering users a more realistic appearance.
In 2020, John Amanam secured a Nigerian patent for his prosthetic technology and also launched a donation programme aimed at providing free prosthetic devices to amputees who cannot afford treatment.
The company has continued to expand its innovations and is currently developing the Ubokobong Bionic Arm, a prosthetic limb designed to respond to electrical signals from the user’s muscles while maintaining the company’s signature hyper-realistic dark-skin appearance.
Even before its official launch, the bionic arm has reportedly attracted interest from clients in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Ghana.
John Amanam’s work has been widely recognised as an important contribution to inclusive healthcare and prosthetic innovation, helping to address the long-standing lack of realistic prosthetic options designed specifically for people with darker skin tones.
How One Nigerian Sculptor Turned His Brother’s Tragedy into Africa’s First Hyper-Realistic Dark-Skin Prosthetics