Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi: A Patriotic Nigerian Without Honor



The Flag of Nigeria was designed in 1959 and first officially hoisted on October 1, 1960. The two unique sea-green bands represent the forests and abundant natural wealth of Nigeria while the white band represents peace. Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi who hails from Owu in Abeokuta, Ogun State was a student of Norwich Technical College, England when he saw the advertisement in the National Daily's that entries were being accepted for the design of a new National Flag.
Akinkunmi quickly prepared his entry and sent it to Lagos where it was eventually picked in 1958 as the best and the flag was used to celebrate an independent Nigeria on October 1, 1960; when the Union Flag (Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) was lowered for the Nigeria Flag to take its place on the flagpole.

Today it is disheartening that this patriotic individual who has placed the image of Nigeria and Nigerians on the international scene has been abandoned by the Nigerian government as the only award which he was given was in London for his winning entry which was given to him by the white men. Taiwo Akinkunmi lamented that ever since he returned to Nigeria, nothing was given to him, not even a title although I received a lot of congratulatory messages from different set of people but I'm still expecting the Government of Nigeria to honor me with any National Honor and apart from that I want the Government to come to my aid, I need the assistance at this present point in time, I'm dying of one sickness or the other, My children are still young and i still find it difficult to cater for their needs.............People should please come to my rescue.............lamented Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi.

Heard the news over the radio this morning.

Taiwo Akinkunmi designed the Nigerian flag at the age of 25.

Taiwo Akinkunmi might not resound in the hearts of Nigerians, especially the younger generation; but if history was being taught properly, he should be a household name in Nigeria, being the man who designed the Nigerian flag at the age of 25 while he studied in London.
[b]
His flag design was accepted amongst other designs, for its ingenuity and depth. This, at the time, shot Mr. Akinkunmi into limelight and enlisted him amongst Nigeria’s heroes and icons.

Now, Mr. Akinkunmi, a man whose ingenious work of creativity we still enjoy each time we gaze at the Nigerian flag, lives in an ill befitting house in Ibadan and suffers from Parkinson’s disease.

A group of young, impact- oriented minds under the cover of GNext Youth Organization have, however, taken it upon themselves to give this icon’s home a complete makeover.

The GNext Youth, through the home makeover, would renovate his living room and bedroom.

Electrical appliances windows, window frames and furniture will be replaced. And to give the home a beautiful ambiance, the house will be repainted and flowers will be planted all round the house.

Renovations are to commence from May 8 till May 10, when it would be declared open by the First Lady of Oyo State in a ceremony that would equally mark Mr. Akinkunmi’s birthday.

In an official release by one of the co-founders of GNEXT youth club, Olufemi Olumide, the group said “We intend to have a three day Makeover for Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi from 8th-10th of May. We would do this by harnessing from our large network, of youth volunteers from institutions, organizations, churches and corporate organizations to lend helping hands with the renovation, theme (Interior designs) his Living room, and bedroom”.

“We intend to change window frames, repaint the fence, plant flowers and beautify the compound, engage Carpenters, Bricklayers, Tile workers and Painters to do the finishing, erect a Huge Nigerian Flag at the entrance of his residence, replace furniture, TV and electrical appliances, and conduct a press conference stating our intention.”[/b]

national anthem: [size=18]the labour of our heroes past
shall never be in vain.[/size]

Afam4eva: I've always asked myself this questio: what's so difficult in coming up with a green, white and green flag? I mean it's green and white.

Inik:
It really does not take anything to design a green white green flag. However this case has to do with national sentiments, the flag was one of our first national symbols after independence. The designer of such a national symbol ought to be fully compensated one way or the other by the federal government.

Afam4eva: I've always asked myself this questio: what's so difficult in coming up with a green, white and green flag? I mean it's green and white.

Tolexander: the question you should have asked yourself is that was he the only one that submitted the entry for the design of the national flag?
How come his is the most prefered and acceptable?

Every finished work always seem simple to the eyes, only the inventor knows how many midnight candles he burnt during the process of the intention.

Not the colour of the flag but the genius concept behind it.

Pennywise:

There is nothing there that a pry school child could not have done. Infact any other entry that was made would have been better irrespective of criteria save for the official national mediocrity called 'federal character' which I suspect was the sole consideration.

Tolexander: the question you should have asked yourself is that was he the only one that submitted the entry for the design of the national flag?
How come his is the most prefered and acceptable?

Every finished work always seem simple to the eyes, only the inventor knows how many midnight candles he burnt during the process of the intention.


Not the colour of the flag but the genius concept behind it.

Afam4eva:
I agree with the bolded but i don't think it applies here. This was not a design. It was just picking of colors which anyone could have done...This does not take anything away from the man. He dxeserves the respect as the one who came up with it.

The national flag has white and green colours. What was the idea behind the use of the two colours?

The green colour stands for the agriculture progress of the people of the country in the North, East and the West; it shows that we are all farmers. The white colour stands for peace, unity and religion in all the states in the country. I wanted something we could use anywhere in the country that will represent Nigeria when it is used.


I wanted something that can represent the nation and nothing else occurred to me but agriculture and unity of the country and that is the reason I chose the green colour for agriculture and the white colour for unity and peace.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/index.php/features/people/21874.html

Afam4eva:
I agree with the bolded but i don't think it applies here. This was not a design. It was just picking of colors which anyone could have done...This does not take anything away from the man. He dxeserves the respect as the one who came up with it.

abes:



How do you expect a flag to look like? Can you sketch us a good design so we can have an idea what you mean by a good design?

Afam4eva: I've always asked myself this questio: what's so difficult in coming up with a green, white and green flag? I mean it's green and white.

chiover: But he should be given MON at least because no matter which angle you look view it from, Mr Taiwo made something that identifies each and everyone of us as Nigerians