Taiwo Akinkunmi: Yoruba writes Tinubu over delay in burial of designer of national flag

Yoruba World Congress Worldwide (YWC) has submitted a petition to President Bola Tinubu over what it described as a postponement in the burial arrangements for the esteemed late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (OFR), the visionary designer of Nigeria’s flag.

In an open letter addressed to Tinubu, the group advised the president to intervene for the deceased to be buried without further delay.

The letter made available to journalists on Sunday, May 12, was signed by YWC vice president, Engineer Adekunle Ogundana.

Recall that Akinkunmi, a native of Abeokuta in Ogun state but lived in Ibadan in Oyo state died on the 21st August 2023 and his body was deposited in a morgue at a location in Ibadan.

His design was selected as the best in 1958 among all the presented designs for the competition to get a new national flag design for the country (Nigeria) about to get her independence from the Colonial masters.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris, led a delegation of the federal government to visit the family of the late Pa Akinkunmi in Ibadan and promised that the Nigerian government would stand by the family.

Oyo state government also sent their condolence letter from the office of the executive governor, signed by Seyi Makinde.

It was, however, gathered that the deceased has not been buried as of the time of filing this report despite the promises made by the Federal and Oyo state governments.

YWC in its reaction appealed to Tinubu to personally look into the issue as a matter of urgency.

The group said that information made available by the family confirmed that the deceased’s family has been paying =N2,000 (Two Thousand Naira Only) daily as mortuary bills to date without any support from the government.

The group while speaking, described Akinkunmi as a hero who did his best for the country and his body should not be allowed to remain in the mortuary without attention and a befitting burial.

The group called on Tinubu to urgently look into this matter so that the family could bury their dead and be pacified.

The open letter reads: “This open letter is for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally look into this issue as a matter of urgency. The designer of the flag of Nigeria Late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (OFR) (Mr. Flag Man) died on the 21st of August 2023 and his body was deposited in a morgue at a location in Ibadan, Oyo State. His design was selected as the best in the year 1958 amongst all the presented designs for the competition to get a new national flag design for the country (Nigeria) that was about to get her independence from the Colonial masters.

“Late Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi was a native of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State but lived his life in Ibadan. The spokesperson of the Akinkunmi family, Akinkunmi Akinwumi confirmed that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris, led a delegation of the Federal Government to visit the family of late Pa Akinkunmi in Ibadan. The Minister promised that the Nigerian government would stand by the family. The Oyo state government also sent their condolence letter from the office of the Executive Governor, signed by the Amiable Governor Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde.

“It was also gathered that the Senate has asked the Federal Government to immortalize the designer of the Nigerian national flag, the late Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi. The resolution of the Red Chamber was a sequel to a motion sponsored via Point of Order on the matter of national importance in one of the house plenary sessions by Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC, Oyo South) and seconded by Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North), who noted that the late Pa Akinkunmi should be immortalised with a national honour. The Senate President Godswill Akpabio in his remarks, directed members of the upper legislative chamber to observe a minute silence in honour of the designer of the national flag, late Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi.

“The deceased family had planned the burial for the 7th and 8th of December 2023 for the burial but it was annulled by the Oyo state government on the ground that there was no representation from the Government to confirm the date chosen by the family.

“It was also confirmed by the family spokesperson, that a meeting was held on 29th November 2023 by the Oyo State House of Assembly with the family representatives of late Pa Akinkunmi. It was concluded that the Oyo State Government (which has been inconclusive) would communicate a suitable date for the late icon’s burial to the family through a committee set up by the government.

“Since his death on 21st August 2023, the family made it known that they have been paying =N2,000.00 (Two Thousand Naira Only) daily as mortuary bill till-date without any support from the government.

“After several attempts by the Akinkunmi family representatives to get the burial done, the Oyo State government representatives further confirmed that Late Pa Akinkunmi’s burial is a state burial and that the government will take charge of the entire programme. It was gathered that the Oyo State government requested another date for the late icon’s burial to which the family of the deceased sent April 10, 11, and 12 2024 for the state burial of their late father and national icon, but this date has also lapsed; as all attempts to get to the governor or his representatives were futile.

“This is too much to bear for the family and all loved ones. It is worthy of note that the Nigerian government needs to take care of all identified heroes and play their part in order to encourage citizens to contribute to the nation and be more patriotic.

“Failure of the Nigerian government to step in and do the needful now could cause a national embarrassment to Nigeria as a whole.

“Late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (OFR) was a hero of Yoruba origin who did his best for this country and his body should not be allowed to remain in the mortuary without attention and a befitting burial.

“By this open letter the Yoruba World Congress (YWC), UK, is calling on the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently look into this matter so that the family can bury their dead and be pacified. Yoruba World Congress (YWC) is a socio-cultural organisation of Yoruba descent worldwide with the responsibility to promote, defend and achieve the collective growth and developmental aspirations and interests, prosperity, security, well-being, welfare, and sustenance of Yoruba People and culture.”