Born on May 10, 1936. Akinkunmi was a native of Abeokuta in Ogun State but lived in Ibadan, Oyo State. He attended Baptist Day Secondary School, Ibadan, and Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, for his primary and secondary education, respectively. The late Akinkunmi started his career as a civil servant at the Secretariat of Ibadan. He later travelled overseas to study. He was a 23-year-old student of Agricultural Engineering at Norwood Technical College in London, England at the time he designed the flag.
In 1958, while living abroad, Akinkunmi saw an advertisement in a newspaper that submissions were being accepted for the design of a new national flag of Nigeria as the country’s independence from British governance was close. He submitted a triband design consisting of a white vertical band in the centre, with a green vertical band on each side. The design also contained a radiating red sun in the white vertical centre of the flag.
Among the over 2,000 entries submitted, his was picked, however the judges removed the red sun, leaving only a green and white triband design for the national flag. The green bands represent the forests and abundant natural wealth of the country, while the white band represents peace. The Nigeria flag is thus, an adaptation of the winning entry from Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi in a competition which was held in 1959.
Although the sun was eventually removed by the committee in charge,
Akinkunmi’s design was selected for its ingenuity and profundity. The flag was hoisted on Independence Day, October 1, 1960, in place of the British Union Jack. He got 100 pounds for designing the Nigerian flag and was much later on September 29, 2014 conferred with the National Honours Award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by President Goodluck Jonathan. He also received an appointment as a Special Assistant, with a salary for life.
According to one of his children who announced his death, Pa Akinkunmi died in the early hours of Tuesday, 29th August, 2023 after a brief illness.
He wrote: “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.): A great man has gone.”
As we bid Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, farewell, we recall the words of the second stanza of the Nigeria first anthem titled “Nigeria We Hail Thee!” written by a Briton, Lillian Jean William and the music composed by Frances Berda which was sang when the Nigeria flag was first raised up on 1st October, 1960:
“Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign
In peace or battle honour’d,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.”
Rest in peace Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi.