The Designer Of Nigeria’s Flag Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi Dies At 87

Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi (OFR), who designed Nigeria’s flag, is dead.
Akinkunmi 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 live a life with a landmark. Continue to rest, my father! Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (O.F.R.): Great Man has gone.”

The Ogun State native was born in Abeokuta on May 10, 1936, although he spent his entire life in Ibadan.
He had his primary education at the Baptist Day Secondary School in Ibadan and his secondary education at the Ibadan Grammar School.

He began his career as a civil servant in the Secretariat of Ibadan and later went abroad to Norway Technical College to study agricultural engineering.
While living overseas in 1958, Akinkunmi came across an article in a national newspaper asking for ideas for the Nigerian flag in light of the country’s impending independence from British rule.

His entry was selected as the top one out of the about 2,000 others.

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.

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 (October 1, 1960) instead of the British Union Jack.

Akinkunmi was awarded 100 pounds by the government when his design was selected.

He has also been honored with the MON (Member of the Order of the Niger) Award by President Goodluck Jonathan.