By Fawaz Adebisi
Taiwo Akinkunmi, the visionary designer behind Nigeria’s iconic flag, has passed away at the age of 87.
The visionary designer died on Tuesday, August 30, 2023.
Hailing from Abeokuta in Ogun State, he was a former civil servant who left an indelible mark on the nation’s history and identity.
Here are ten key aspects of his remarkable life and legacy:
1. Twin Brother’s Tragedy: Akinkunmi was part of a set of twins, tragically losing his twin brother at a young age.
2. Early Life in the North: Raised by his father until the age of 8, Akinkunmi then moved to Northern Nigeria, where he embarked on his early education.
3. Civil Servant Turned Engineer: After completing his secondary education, he served as an agriculturist at the Western Region Secretariat in Ibadan. His thirst for knowledge led him to study electrical engineering in London.
4. Flag Design Discovery: An advert in a library introduced him to the national flag design competition’s details. He took up the challenge and submitted his innovative design.
5. Symbolic Evolution: While his original design included a sun, this element was later removed. The green, symbolizing Nigeria’s natural wealth, and the white, signifying peace and unity, remained.
6. The Winning Creation: Akinkunmi’s design was selected from over 2,000 submissions, earning him a cash prize of 100 pounds. He utilized part of the prize money to purchase a camera and a radio.
7. Return to Civil Service: Upon his return to Nigeria in 1963, he continued his civil service career at the agricultural department in Ibadan. He eventually retired as an Assistant Superintendent of Agriculture in 1994.
8. Distinguished Honors: Over the years, Akinkunmi received numerous accolades, including the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) award from President Goodluck Jonathan, and the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
9. A Record-Breaking Feat: In 2021, he made headlines once more by unveiling the world’s largest national flag in Ibadan. The flag, measuring a staggering 3,275.6 square meters, earned a place in the Guinness World Records.
10. Family and Legacy: Akinkunmi’s legacy is carried on by his wife, children, and grandchildren. He passed away on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, following a brief illness, leaving a nation in mourning for the man who gifted them their emblem of identity.
