By Uche Amunike
The family of the man that designed the Nigerian national flag, Taiwo Akinkunmi, has decided to proceed with his burial plans after having waited for one year, for a state funeral, which was promised the family, by the federal government, to no avail.
The late Taiwo Akinkunmi died on September 4, 2023 at the age of 87. The federal government promised the family that he would be honored with a state funeral. However, after having patiently waited for the government to fulfill that promise made a year ago, the family has decided that since it was clear that no arrangements had been made by the federal government, they would proceed with making burial plans for him.
Speaking on a BBC Focus on Africa Podcast, his son, Akinkunmi Akinkunmi stated that the family will give his late father the befitting burial he deserves, seeing that the government was making no plans to fulfill the promise they made to them.
According to him, the family has paid N2000 per day to keep the body of the Late Taiwo Akinkunmi at the morgue since it was deposited a year ago after his demise. This was why the Oyo State government decided to help in funding the burial rights for the late flag designer.
In August, the Punch reported that a three-day burial plan for the late Akinkunmi would kick off on Wednesday September 4 and end on Friday, September 6, 2024 in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State.
The late patriarch’s son also said, in a statement, that the Akinkunmi family was still hopeful that the government would fulfill their promises in respect of the burial plans for his father.
In the meantime, he said, that the Akinkunmi family is grateful for the roles played by members of the 7th Oyo State House of Assembly, the Chairman, Oyo State Advisory Council, Bolaji Ayorinde and members of the council who stood by the family all the time.
He also informed the BBC that the Ministry of Art’s National Institute for Cultural Orientation was assigned the task of arranging a state funeral for his father in June. Sadly, after the initial phone call that was made to the family at the time, there has been no other communication or progress from the Institute. He expressed his fears that delaying the funeral more than it has, will only help in bringing dishonor to the memory of his late father.
He said that his late father, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi was an easy-going man who worked hard to maintain his dignity and ensured that he did nothing to tarnish his image during his lifetime. He also described him as an intelligent man who was well raised from a good home and one, whose way of life endeared him to people.
Taiwo Akinkunmi was born on May 10, 1936 in Ibadan, Oyo State. He designed the Nigerian Flag in 1958, for which he was given a £100 gift after his design was picked.
