The family of late Taiwo Akinkunmi, who designed Nigeria’s national flag, has urged the Federal Government to honour him with a state burial.
“It will make the Nigerian youths believe in hard work, integrity and selfless service to the nation,” Akinkunmi’s first son Akinremi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
He described his father as a brilliant man and an intellectual from childhood, saying such qualities earned him a scholarship to study abroad.
“I believe that we don’t need to mourn him because he played his part well. He got to his bus stop ceremoniously in life and got down peacefully.
“But we want the Federal Government to give him a befitting burial. Also, we are going to miss his fatherly advice, friendliness and kindness to everyone around him,” Akinkunmi said.
Meanwhile, Olaniran Shofela, a family head and community leader from Abiodun’s Compound at Oke Ago-Owu in Abeokuta, said the late Akinkunmi was not from Ibadan or Ekiti as speculated.
Shofela said Akinkunmi remained a pride of his family among the people of Owu in Abeokuta because he made his mark and did something unique in the history of Nigeria.
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“Nobody will write the history of Nigeria today without mentioning his name because his effort had made him to occupy a conspicuous place in the history of Nigeria as a whole.
“His ingenuity came to bear when his national flag design emerged overall best out of numerous designs in a competition that was devoid of corruption,” he said.
Shofela urged youths to emulate the useful and contented life of Akinkunmi by not placing money before service, hard work and integrity.
Akinkunmi died on Tuesday at the age of 87 after a brief illness.
He is survived by three children.
