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CLAIM: A Facebook post by Born 2 Blog claims that Francis Tucker, a Sierra Leonean inventor, is 34 years old and has been working on building a helicopter from scratch.
VERDICT: Misleading. Francis Tucker is not 34 years old. Instead, it is his dream to construct a helicopter that is 34 years old. The misleading claim originated from a misinterpretation of the original report.
FULL TEXT
A Facebook post by the page Born 2 Blog stated that 34-year-old Francis Tucker has been working for years to fulfil his dream of building a helicopter from scratch and only needs NLe 15,000 (about $600) to complete it. The post has generated significant engagement with over 8,000 reactions and 41 shares.
However, a closer look reveals that the information is misleading.
WHY DUBAWA FACT-CHECKED THIS?
It is vital to fact-check this claim because it has the potential to distort the facts around a remarkable story of innovation and resilience. Tucker’s project, which spans over three decades, reflects a broader African narrative of self-driven inventors and grassroots engineering talent. Misrepresenting his age distracts from his genuine achievement and could misinform readers about the history of his work.
VERIFICATION
DUBAWA traced the story’s origin to a report credited to Truth Media, which was shared by popular Sierra Leonean artist Fantacee Wiz. In the original report, Truth Media stated that Francis Tucker has been pursuing his 34-year-old dream of constructing a Sierra Eagle helicopter. It did not state that the inventor was 34 years old himself.
Fantacee Wiz’s post, citing Truth Media, clearly described the timeline of the dream, not Tucker’s age. The report also highlighted Tucker’s claim that with just NLe 15,000, he could complete the helicopter within three weeks.
The misleading version by Born 2 Blog omitted this context and claimed Tucker himself is 34 years old. This distorts the facts and shifts attention from the dedication behind a decades-long project to an inaccurate detail about age.
Photo source: Truth Media.
Moreover, Tucker’s appearance in the photos suggests he is significantly older than 34. Other media reports that picked up the story also referenced the 34-year-old dream rather than his age, aligning with the original Truth Media publication. These additional reports can be found here and here.
Conclusion
Francis Tucker is not 34 years old. It is his dream to build a helicopter that is 34 years old. Born 2 Blog’s claim is, therefore, misleading. This highlights the importance of careful reporting and responsible information sharing to prevent the creation of false narratives surrounding public figures.
