Taiwo Akinkunmi: Makinde Releases Funds For Burial Of National Flag Designer

News/Opinion

Taiwo Akinkunmi: Makinde Releases Funds For Burial Of National Flag Designer

Reported by Ayooluwa Afolabi

The family of the designer of Nigeria’s flag, the late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, has announced that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has released funds for their patriarch’s burial.

The NATION reports that in a statement released on Friday, August 2, the family confirmed the governor’s support.

Pa Akinkunmi, a native of Abeokuta in Ogun State, who resided in Ibadan, Oyo State, passed away on August 29, 2023.

His flag design was selected in 1958 as the winning entry in a competition to create a new national flag for Nigeria ahead of its independence from colonial rule.

During a visit to the family in Ibadan, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris, leading a delegation from the federal government, assured them of the government’s support.

The Oyo state government also expressed condolences through a letter from the office of the Executive Governor.

It was gathered that the deceased has not been buried due to the inability of the federal and state governments to fulfill their promise.

Family spokesperson, Samuel Akinkunmi, praised Governor Makinde for his gesture and confirmed that the final burial will take place in the coming days.

The statement read: “This is to notify the general public that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state has released funds for the burial of our patriarch.

“He died in August last year and he has not been buried as of today. The reasons are not far fetch. The federal government sent a representative led by the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris. He promised us that the federal government would sponsor the burial. Also, the Oyo state government pledged to support the burial.

“At a time when we fixed dates, we approached them and they were not forthcoming. We decided to bury him on our own and they said we should not do that at the time.

“But to God be the glory, Governor Seyi Makinde has fulfilled his promise. We wish to thank him, members of the 7th assembly, members of the Oyo State Advisory Council, and everyone who took the matter up.

“We also want to thank Yoruba World Congress UK for their support. They wrote an open letter to President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu challenging the Nigerian government and the Oyo state government for their neglect. Although the Presidency has yet to fulfill its promise at the time of this correspondence.

“We also want to thank the media. We thank members of the fourth estate of the realm for giving us a voice in their respective media platforms.

“I wish to thank everyone on behalf of the family. I am also using this medium to inform the general public that the date for the burial will be announced soon.”