Nigerian civil servant and the designer of the National flag, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi has died at the age of eighty-seven (87).

According to his family, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi died in the early hours of Tuesday, August 29th, following a brief illness.

One of his children announced his tragic death on Facebook.

“Life is indeed transient; I can say boldly that you live a life with a landmark. Continue to rest, my father! Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (O.F.R.): Great Man has gone.”

The late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinwunmi, born on May 10th, 1936, had his primary education at Baptist Day Secondary School, Ibadan, and his secondary education at Ibadan Grammar School. He started his career as a civil servant at the Ibadan Secretariat and then went abroad to the Norwegian Technical College to study agricultural engineering.

While living abroad in 1958, Akinkunmi came across an article in a national newspaper requesting for ideas for the Nigerian flag in light of the country’s impending independence from British rule. His application was selected as the best among approximately 2,000 others.

A red sun with flowing rays was placed on the white band of the initial flag design, which was bordered by two green bands. The oversight committee ultimately left the sun to create the current design.

The ingenuity and subtlety of Akinkunmi’s design were key factors in his choice (the white band symbolizes peace, while the green bands reflect the country’s immense natural resources and forests). On Independence Day (October 1, 1960), the American flag was raised in place of the British Union Jack.

When Akinkunmi’s project was chosen, the government gave him 100 pounds. Additionally, President Goodluck Jonathan awarded him the MON (Member of the Order of the Niger) award.