Yoruba group petitions Tinubu over delay in burial of Taiwo Akinkunmi, designer of Nigerian flag

Yoruba World Congress Worldwide (YWC) has petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what it described as a delay in the burial of the late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, the designer of the Nigerian flag.

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

The open letter which was made available to Validviewnetwork on Sunday, was signed by YWC Vice President, Engineer Adekunle Ogundana.

Validviewnetwork recalls that Akinkunmi, a native of Abeokuta in Ogun State, but lived in Ibadan, Oyo State, died on August 21, 2023, and his body was deposited in a morgue at a location in Ibadan.

Our correspondent learnt that 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.

Validviewnetwork had earlier reported that 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.

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

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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 family of the deceased have been paying N2,000.00 (Two Thousand Naira Only) daily as mortuary bill till-date without any support from the government.

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

“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 August 21, 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.

“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 sequel to a motion sponsored via Point of Order on a matter of national importance in one of the house plenary session 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 one minute silence in honour of the designer of the national flag, late Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi.

“The deceased family had planned the burial for December 7 and 8, 2023, 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 November 29, 2023, by the Oyo State House of Assembly with the family representatives of the 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 setup by the government.

“Since his death on August 21, 2023, the family has 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.

“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, wellbeing, welfare and sustenance of Yoruba people and culture”.