The designer of the Nigerian flag, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, OFR, is dead, aged 84 years.
His death was announced by his son, Samuel Akinwunmi Akinkunmi, via his Facebook page, where he wrote, “Life is indeed transient; I can say boldly you lived a life with a landmark. Continue to rest on, my father! Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, OFR. Great Man has gone”
Pa Akinkunmi, who hailed from Owu in Abeokuta, Ogun State was born on 10 May, 1936.
He attended Baptist Day Primary School, Ibadan for his primary education and Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan for his secondary education.
Pa Akinkunmi worked as a civil servant at the secretariat Ibadan. And after some years of service, he travelled overseas to study Agricultural Engineering at Norway Technical College.
In 1958, during his stay abroad, Akinkunmi stumbled on an advertisement in a national daily calling for submission of designs for the Nigerian national flag in view of the imminent independence from British governance.
He immediately began work on his own entry, which was eventually selected as best among the roughly 2,000 entries received.
The original design of the flag featured a white band flanked by two green ones; a red sun, with streaming rays located on the white band. The sun was eventually done away with by the overseeing committee to produce the present design.
Akinkunmi’s design was selected because of its ingenuity and profundity – the green bands represent the forests and abundant natural wealth of the country, while the white band represents peace.
The flag was officially hoisted on Independence Day on October 1, 1960 to replace the British Union Jack.
A cash prize of £100 was awarded to Akinkunmi by the government when his design was selected. He has also been honoured with the national award of Member of the Order of the Niger, MON, by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
To mark his 77th birthday, a Christian organization called G-Next did a home makeover of his Ibadan residence
