One year afta im die, family of Pa Taiwo Michael Akinkunmi dey bury di man wey design Nigerian flag.
Pa Akinkunmi die on 29 August 2023 at di age of 87.
Im family say di Nigerian federal goment bin promise to give Akinkunmi a state funeral. But afta a year of waiting, di family don decide to proceed wit di burial, supported by di Oyo State goment, wia Akinkunmi bin dey live.
“We gatz give am di befitting burial im deserve,” im pikin, Akinkunmi Akinwumi tell di BBC.
“My late papa na easy-going pesin wey bin no want anything to tarnish im image,” e tok.
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Green and white
Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi come up wit di distinct green and white design while im bin dey study for London for di late 1950s, afta im see a newspaper advert for competition to design di Nigerian national flag.
Im travels across Nigeria wit im trader parents inspire di flag design. Di green symbolise di nation rich agricultural heritage, while di white represent peace and unity among di diverse ethnic groups.
Di design win and dem unveil am on Nigeria Independence Day, October 1, 1960. Dem give Akinkunmi £100 for im success.
Wen e return to Nigeria, di flag designer take a job wit di Ministry of Agriculture and live a quiet life and veri few pipo know about im contribution to di kontri.
For 2010, Pa Akinkunmi get nomination and dem select am for presidential recognition as one of di 50 distinguished Nigerians for di kontri 50th independence celebration.
“A lot of pipo tink say my papa don die until di Speaker of di Oyo State House of Assembly, Monsurat Sunmonu, take interest in am,” im son Akinwumi tok.
For 2014, di Oyo Senate Speaker write one open letter to di federal goment and advocate for Akinkunmi to receive a national honour wit residential benefits
Later dat year, former President Goodluck Jonathan honour am wit di Officer of di Order of di Federal Republic (OFR).
After Akinkunmi death for August last year, one Nigerian senator sponsor a motion wey propose say make dem give am state burial. Senate President Godswill Akpabio stamp am.
Howeva, any plan no dey ground and Akinkunmi family pay 2,000 naira ($1.20) daily to keep di body for mortuary while dem dey wait.
For June 2024, di National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) release one statement wey di Ministry of Art, Culture, and di Creative Economy bin direct dem to intervene to ensure di flag designer receive a state funeral.
But di designer son say apart from one phone call, di institution fail to contact di family.
“Na unfortunate situation. Di delay no be sake of lack of resources but likely a lack of serious attention,” Professor Adesina tok – im be professor of history, from di University of Ibadan, Oyo State
Sake of public outcry, di Oyo State goment don decide to support di family by funding di burial rites for di flag designer, and e go take place a few days afta im one-year remembrance for early September.
According to Professor De-Valera Botchway, one African historian from di University of Cape Coast, Ghana, social and political heroes dey often more visible and vocal for African cultures sake of di nature of dia work, wey make dem well-known.
In contrast, im say creators wey design flags and oda national symbols “for many cases, be like say dem go back into di shadows”.
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