Taiwo Akinkunmi, designer of Nigeria’s flag dies, aged 87

Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, the designer of Nigeria’s flag, is dead. He died in the early hours of Tuesday after a brief illness.

One of his children announced his death on Facebook.

He wrote: “Life is indeed transient; I can say boldly that you lived a life with a landmark.

“Continue to rest, my father! Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (O.F.R.): A great man has gone.”

In 1958, while living abroad, Akinkunmi saw an advertisement in a national daily for the submission of designs for the Nigeria’s national flag as the country’s independence from British governance was close.

Among the over 2,000 entries submitted, his was picked.

However, the original design of the flag featured a white band flanked by two green ones with a red sun and streaming rays on the white band.

Although the sun was eventually removed by the committee in charge, Akinkunmi’s design was selected for its ingenuity and profundity.

The green bands represent the forests and abundant natural wealth of the country, while the white band represents peace.

It was hoisted on Independence Day, October 1, 1960, in place of the British Union Jack, while Akinkunmi was awarded 100 pounds when his design was selected.

He was honoured with the MON (Member of the Order of the Niger) by President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, the late Akinkunmi did not live some of his years in the public glare, therefore, here are a few things about him:

• He got 100 pounds for designing the Nigerian flag
• Akinkunmi is a native of Abeokuta in Ogun State. He was born on May 10, 1936, but lived in Ibadan.
• Pa Akinwumi hailed from Owu in Abeokuta, Ogun state, but was born and grew up in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
• He attended Baptist Day Secondary School, Idi-Ikan, Ibadan for his primary education and Ibadan Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan for his secondary education.
• After his secondary education, he worked briefly at the defunct Western Region Secretariat, Ibadan, before he gained admission to study electrical engineering at Norwood Technical College, London.
• Akinkunmi was in the United Kingdom studying when he saw an advertisement in a library calling for entries on designs of the national flag, applied and emerged as the designer of the green-white-green Nigerian flag in 1958 in view of the imminent Independence from British governance.
• Upon his return to the country in 1963, Akinkunmi went back to the Agricultural Department at the Secretariat in Ibadan to continue where he stopped.
• He worked as a civil servant until 1994 and retired as Assistant Superintendent of Agriculture.
• He was honoured with Officer of the Order of Federal Republic (OFR) and honorary life presidential adviser on 29 September 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Conference Centre Abuja.
• His heroic feat as the designer of the Nigerian flag earned him the nickname ‘Mr Flag Man’.