Pa. Taiwo Micheal Akinkunmi, the man who designed Nigeria’s flag, has died at the age of 87.
One of his children, who confirmed his death on Facebook, said Pa. Akinkunmi died in the early hours of Tuesday, after a brief illness.
“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.): Great Man has gone”, he wrote.
Born on May 10, 1936, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi hailed from Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He attended Baptist Day Secondary School, Ibadan, for his Primary education and Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, for his Secondary education.
Pa. Akinkunmi started his career as a Civil Servant at the Secretariat of Ibadan and later travelled overseas to study Agricultural Engineering at Norway Technical College.
In 1958, during his stay abroad, Akinkunmi stumbled upon an advertisement in a national daily calling for the submission of designs for Nigeria’s national flag in view of Nigeria’s imminent Independence from British governance.
His entry was adjudged the best among the roughly 2,000 entries submitted.
