The designer of Nigeria’s flag, Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi has been reported dead at the age of 86 in the early hours of Tuesday after a brief illness, as announced by one of his children Samuel Akinkunmi on his facebook page.
Penpushing reports that the son in his statement said, his father who is a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, but resident in Ibadan, Capital of Oyo State lived a life with a landmark and prayed for him to continue to rest in peace
‘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 son wrote in a short announcement
Penpushing further reports that the deceased was born on 10th May 1936, lived with his father until he was 8 years old before he relocated to the northern part of Nigeria, where he began his early education in the North.
The profile has it that after his father’s retirement, he came down to the West and was re-enrolled at Baptist Day Secondary School, Ibadan, for his primary education and Ibadan Grammar School, (IGS) Ibadan, for his secondary education.
Penpushing also reports that Akinkunmi left Ibadan Grammar School in 1955 and took an appointment as an Agriculturist at the Western Region Secretariat in Ibadan as a civil servant, and having worked for some years he gained admission to the Norwood Technical College in London where he studied electrical engineering.
The late Akinkunmi while studying at Norwood Technical College in London, he designed the Nigerian Flag, and his entry was adjudged the best among the roughly 2,000 entries submitted designs, and the flag was officially raised on Independence Day 1st October, 1960 signifying the pulling down British flag in Nigeria
Penpushing reports that he was rewarded with 100 pounds by the government when his design was selected, and was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
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