Taiwo Akinkunmi

Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (born May 10, 1936 ) is a former Nigerian civil servant. He became famous for today's flag of Nigeria , which he designed. In Nigeria he is therefore also called Mr. Flag Man (in German: Mr. Flag Man) .

Life

Akinkunmi was born in Ibadan and originally belongs to the Yoruba people . He lived with his father until he was 8 years old, after which he moved to northern Nigeria, where he also went to school. After his father retired, he went back to Ibadan and enrolled in the Baptist Day School, which he graduated in 1949. In 1950 he went to the Ibadan Grammar School (IGS), where he was able to achieve a very good degree.

In 1955 he left the IGS and worked as an agricultural expert in a secretariat in Ibadan as a civil servant. He worked there for a couple of years before entering Norwood Technical College in London , where he studied electrical engineering. During his studies in London he designed today's flag of Nigeria. In 1963 he returned to his homeland and from then on worked again as an agricultural expert in Ibadan. In 1994 he finally retired.

Draft flag

Akinkunmi first designed the flag of Nigeria in London. The idea came to him during a flight over his green homeland, which he was impressed by. His flag came out first in a competition that received 2,870 suggestions. He received a 100 pound award for the design. Akinkunmi became aware of the competition in a library. The flag he designed originally contained a red sun in the middle, but the selection committee removed that.

Akinkunmi's original design

Used flag

Personal

He is married and has children, and he always wears the colors of the flag he designed. He also painted his house green and white.

Web links

• 60 Minutes with the Man Who Designed Nigerian Flag. Thisday , September 28, 2013 (English)
• Nigeria's flag designer, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi (77) finds joy in old age. Encomium, October 7, 2013 (English)