The designer of the Nigerian National Flag, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi (OFR) is dead aged 87.
The news of Pa Akinkunmi who designed the green white green flag was announced by one of his children on Facebook.
More Read
How The Nigerian Flag Designer, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, Died
He passed on in the early hours of Tuesday after a brief illness.
His son who announced the news posted on Facebook saying:
“Life is indeed transient; I can say boldly that you live a life with a landmark. Continue to rest, my father! Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (O.F.R.): Great Man has gone.”
Background/Profile of Pa Akinkuumi
He hails from Owu in Abeokuta in Ogun State and was born on May 10, 1936 but lived in Ibadan until his demise.
Akinkunmi attended Baptist Day Secondary School, Ibadan for his Primary education and Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan for his Secondary education.
He started his career as a Civil Servant at the Secretariat of Ibadan and later travelled overseas to study Agricultural Engineering at Norway Technical College.
He returned to Nigeria in 1963 and 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.
How Akinkunmi Came About With The Design of the Nigerian Flag
While abroad in 1958 as a student of Norwich Technical College, England, studying Electrical Engineering, Akinkunmi stumbled upon an advertisement in a national daily calling for the submission of designs for the Nigeria’s national flag.
This was in view of Nigeria’s imminent Independence from British governance.
He submitted his design and his entry was adjudged the best among the roughly 2,000 entries that were submitted.
The Original Design of the Nigerian National Flag by Pa. Akinkunmi
The original design of the flag featured a white band flanked by two green ones and a red sun with streaming rays was located on the white band.
The sun was eventually done away with by the overseeing committee to produce the present design.
How Akinkunki’s Design Was Selected and Adopted
His 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 (October 1, 1960) instead of the British Union Jack.
How Much Did Pa. Akinkunmi Got For The Nigerian Flag Design?
Akinkunmi was awarded 100 pounds by the government when his design was selected.
He was also been honoured with the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) Award by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He was honoured with Officer of the order of Federal Republic (OFR) on 29 September 2014 at the conference center Abuja.
