Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (O.F.R), the man who designed the Nigerian flag, dies at 87
Pa Akinkunmi, a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria was born on May 10, 1936, but lived in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria until his demise. He is credited with designing the Nigerian flag.
Following a brief illness, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, the man who designed the Nigerian Flag, is said to have passed on in the early hours of Tuesday, 29th of August, 2023 at the age of 87 years.
One of his children announced his demise via his Facebook account. 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.”
Pa Akinwumi, a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria was born on May 10, 1936, but lived in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria until his demise.
Pa Akinkunmi is credited with designing the Nigerian flag. In our article on African flags and who designed them part 1, we noted that “In 1958, the Government organised a competition for the design of a new flag, open to all Nigerians at home and abroad. Then a 23-year-old student of electrical engineering at Norwood Technical College in London, Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi entered the competition which he came across in a newspaper advert.”
According to him, “He mailed his submission to Lagos a short time later, and in October of the following year received a letter inviting him to the London office of the Commissioner for Nigeria in the United Kingdom, where he was told that his green and white design had been selected. He had won 100 pounds ($281 in 1959) as well as a place in Nigeria’s history books.”
Read Also: African Flags and Who Designed Them (Part 1)
On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule, and the new flag was hoisted for the first time, symbolising a new dawn of freedom and self-determination.
President Goodluck Jonathan during his time honoured him with the MON (Member of the Order of the Niger) Award.
