Taiwo Michael Akinkunmi: Why Nigeria’s ‘Mr Flag Man’ has waited a year for a funeral

Akinkunmi’s original design included at its centre a red sun surrounded by rays. This was intended as “as a symbol of divine protection and guidance”, Mr Smith wrote in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, external.

However the sun was omitted by the committee, which awarded the then 23-year-old £100 (then worth $280) for his winning design.

Akinkunmi always said his inspiration came from his childhood as he had travelled and lived in various parts of Nigeria.

Born in Ibadan in the south-west, now capital of Oyo state, he spent his early years in the north of the country because of his parents’ work. He grew up in what he said was a happy polygamous family and was one of his father’s 10 children.

He returned to Ibadan to finish his education. He once told ThisDay journalist Funke Olade that his secondary school was like a “mini-Nigeria” as it had students from all over the country.

Nigeria is home to more than 300 ethnic groups and while Africa’s most populous country has no official religion, the nation is roughly divided between the mainly Muslim north and the largely Christian south, though many communities are mixed.

For Akinkunmi the green in his flag symbolised the nation’s rich agricultural heritage, while the white represented peace and unity.

“It is typical that Nigeria, like many other culturally diverse countries, chose a simple flag design. A more complex design might have explicitly honoured some ethnic and religious groups while excluding others,” Mr Smith wrote.

Agriculture was always close to Akinkunmi’s heart and he was excited to return to Nigeria after independence to take up at a job with the Ministry of Agriculture, where he worked as a civil servant until he retired in 1994.

But for much of his life very few people knew about his contribution to the country, though wherever he lived he reportedly used to paint the outside of his house green and white.

It was not until Nigeria celebrated its 50th year of independence that he was recognised as one of 50 distinguished Nigerians.