As Nigeria mourns the passing of Taiwo Akinkunmi, the brilliant mind behind the iconic Nigerian national flag, Nigerians take a moment to reflect on his remarkable contributions to the nation’s history.
His legacy lives on through the symbol of unity and pride that flies high in the Nigerian sky.
Below are five facts about the visionary who forever imprinted his mark on the nation’s identity.
i. Taiwo Akinkunmi was born on May 10, 1936, in Ibadan, at the time of birth, he was the older of a set of twins.
ii. At the time of designing the flag, Akinkunmi was a 23-year-old student at Norwood Technical College in London.
iii. Taiwo Akinkunmi’s original design contained a shining sun colored deep red, placed in the middle of the flag, which could be arguably be said to be a reference to the south east region.
iv. Taiwo Akinkunmi led a quiet life outside the public eye. Despite this, his creation has left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s history and identity, ensuring that his legacy will forever be celebrated.
v. In 2019, Taiwo Akinkunmi was honored by the Nigerian government with the national honor of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic for his exceptional contribution to the nation’s identity.
