….From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan…
* Independence Anniversary: Oyo Assembly intercedes …
That all is not well for Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, Nigeria’s National Flag designer, is no longer news. The 77-year-old man who is domiciled in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, is presently a caricature of his old self as he is does not live comfortably just as he is already going blind.
It will be recalled that Taiwo Akinkunmi, in 1958 when he was a student of Norwich Technical College in London, entered for and won the competition to design a flag for the country in commemoration of the nation’s Independence.
Worried by Taiwo Akinkunmi’s present state which is rather pathetic, the entire members of Oyo State House of Assembly recently rose in their clarion call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to appreciate the ailing patriot for his contribution to the country while he is still alive and not to wait until he passes on.
At its plenary of Tuesday, September 17, 2013, the Oyo State House of Assembly resolved “that the neglected national hero, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi and his immediate family should be given adequate welfare package by the Federal Government in order to foster and promote the spirit of patriotism among Nigerians.”
“It is apposite to state that his contribution be more appreciated at this period as we celebrate the 53rd Independence which is associated with the National Flag designed by Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi,” the House further said.
The House summarized its resolution by urging the Federal Government to consider giving Akinkunmi the following assistance. These include building a befitting residence for him, financial assistance for his medical and welfare, employment for his children and naming one of the national edifices after him.
To underscore the concern of the State Legislature in the matter, the House presented a sum of N250,000 to Pa Akinkunmi while the Speaker, Hon. Monsurat Sumonu, insisted that an open letter would be sent to the Presidency and the National Assembly, calling their attention to the plight of the man.
However, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, while speaking with our correspondent did not hide his feeling about the state of affairs in Nigeria at 53 saying that one major issue of concern to him to date has continued to be the country’s noticeable stunted growth since Independence in 1960. The lamentation of Pa Akinkunmi, who designed the Green-White-Green National Flag is anchored on the fact that the country still gropes in the dark with most of her contemporary nations at Independence “already gone far, far ahead in the areas of socio-economic advancement.” Of particular worries to the National Flag Designer are the problems of infrastructure militating against industrialization and gainful employment in the country.
Specifically, Pa Akinkunmi noted that at Independence in 1960, Nigerians had dreamt of a country where everybody will experience good governance, fairness and rule of law in all its ramifications with security and social justice being uppermost in the agenda of the authorities. But quite unfortunately, he submits, the country’s attempt at moving democracy forward ever since has always received blows even from those at the helm of affairs with corruption already eaten deep into the main fabrics of the nation. Alas! the wish of the people has been suppressed by temporary wielders of power and authority, Pa Akinkunmi insists.
“This is not Nigeria of our dream. Our leaders are self-centred. Things are not going the way people expected. Our leaders should have the fear of God for the country to be able to record its desired heights in the comity of nations,” Pa Akinkunmi stated poignantly as he fielded questions from our man, who visited him in his four-bedroom bungalow located within Academy area, off Iwo Road, Ibadan. The building became his lot at age 72 in 2008, courtesy of the MTN Telecommunications-sponsored Award – “Who Deserve to be a Millionaire?” The telecommunications giant had in November 2008 awarded Pa Akinkunmi a sum of N2million for his rehabilitation, in recognition of his notable contribution to national development. It was that money that the old man utilized in acquiring the then uncompleted property which was subsequently put into shape for the accommodation of his household. Until the MTN intervention, Pa Akinkunmi had for ages, been dwelling within the extended family compound at Ekotedo, near Dugbe in the city centre, as he could not afford the luxury of a personal house. Akinkunmi had never pretended that he was comfortable as he had on many occasions declared that he was experiencing hard times despite the international fame which the Nigeria National Flag design had bestowed on his personality. To Pa Akinkunmi, his design of the nation’s flag had rather positioned him “larger than size” in the society just as he sees the national feat as a paradox to the reality of his obscured living standard. Specifically, he had stated, the irony of it all was that while people were always eager to catch a glimpse of his person whenever and wherever his name was mentioned as the Designer of Nigeria’s National Flag, many find it unbelievable on sighting his personality that betrays the fame the design had bestowed on him.
Akinkunmi, who is currently relying solely on his monthly stipend as a pensioner is full of lamentation that even his household, like many others in the nation, is having its fair share of the country’s problem of mass unemployment. According to him, many of his immediate family members among who are graduates, are still searching for elusive gainful employment despite their enviable disciplines in the tertiary institutions. While wishing Nigerians happy Independence Anniversary celebration, Pa Akinkunmi is calling on the authorities to mount an aggressive campaign against youth unemployment in the country because, as he puts it, “an idle hand is devil’s workshop.” To him, gainful employment for the nation’s teeming youths is one major challenge before the government which must be tackled headlong to make the Re-Brand Nigeria crusade meaningful.
At Nigeria’s Independence in 1960, Akinkunmi was resident in London as a student from where he contested and emerged winner of the grand competition for the design of the national flag. His imaginative presentation of the Green -White-Green, according to him was quite meaningful. The Green, he said, symbolises the nation’s prospects, particularly her rich agricultural endowments just as the White portrays unity and Peace. Shedding some light on his past, Akinkunmi said he was in Britain in 1960 studying Electrical Engineering at Norwich Technical College, West Norwich, when the Government of Nigeria threw open the competition for the design of the national flag on the advent of the Independence. His presentation was adjudged the overall best. And he was honoured as such. On completion of his education in Britain, he returned to Nigeria in 1964 and had a civil service career in the then Western Region having worked in the Ministry of Agriculture where he retired in 1994 as a Principal Agric Superintendent.
One thing that has continuously worried Pa Akinkunmi all along is that even though Nigeria, since Independence, has continued to grow physically, this has been on without much to show in terms of economic and social emancipation of her nationals. The average Nigerians, according to him, live far below the poverty level in the wake of corruption and mass unemployment that have engulfed the nation. While lamenting that this negative scenario had persisted unabated for years, Pa Akinkunmi however opined that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan would not allow the opportunity to effect a positive change slip off his fingers, now that he is at the helms of affairs. “With the tempo at which the President is going, I think he will truly usher Nigeria into the dream polity that will ultimately bail out the nationals from the shackles of economic and social bondage,” he submitted.
Pa Akinkunmi however expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Nigeria for remembering him for good a few years ago when, at 74, he was picked among the 50 people conferred with the country’s “Distinguished Nigerians / Friends of Nigeria Golden Jubilee Special Presidential Awards” at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja on the occasion of that year’s Independence anniversary celebration. The then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed had remarked in a public statement issued in respect of the special Awards that Pa Akinkunmi, and the 49 other distinguished personalities, were honoured “for their various roles and contributions to the development of the country.” Beneficiaries of the Special Golden Jubilee Independence Anniversary awards included the great names such as Herbert Macaulay, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Sir Tafawa Balewa, Chief Samuel Lakoke Akintola, Mallam Aminu Kano and Sir Adesoji Aderemi – all of blessed memory. Among the living legends at the time were Chief Anthony Enahoro, General Yakubu Gowon, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor Chinua Achebe, Kanu Nwankwo, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chief Mike Adenuga, to mention just a few.
Pa Akinkunmi saw the gesture from the Nigerian authorities, coming to him exactly fifty years after he had designed the National Flag at Independence in 1960, as a great honour which he will forever cherish. To say that Pa Akinkunmi had eagerly looked forward to a national award for several years until then is an understatement. According to him, even though his designing the National Flag has brought to him personal fame, he had for years looked up to the country to endeavour to underscore this by considering him for award of the nation’s honour, in his own life time as he would not in any way cherish the rituals of endless tributes over his feat by the time he would have passed on. Pa Akinkunmi noted that many of those Nigerians currently flaunting assorted national honours did not even contribute meaningfully to the nation’s socio-political development as he had done, judging by any standard. Akinkunmi remarked that even though he is not new to awards, he cherishes the National Honour more than anything else. In his kitty to date, as discernible on the walls of his sparsely furnished sitting room are, among others, trophies and shields such as the Grand Master of the Order of the Niger of the Students Union of the University of Ibadan (2005); Merit Award of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council (1996); Merit Award of Support to Services to Humanity of the Nigeria Council of Women Societies (2004); Merit Award of the WAI Brigade of Nigeria, Lagos State Command (2009); as well as the Human Rights Hall of Fame Award of the Centre for Human Rights Research and Development (2005). Nevertheless, Pa Akinkunmi stated pointedly that in view of all these, he had all along looked up for something remarkable from the Federal Government of Nigeria. “I had always feel that now at my old age, I deserve a national honour from the government of my country, Nigeria, for my little contribution to national development. I am convinced in my heart that I have served my nation well with my own quota,” he said.
Pa Akinkunmi looked back at the award-winning national flag design, and acknowledged with delight how, at that time, the Nigerian Government rewarded the effort with a prize of 100 pounds and a piece of souvenir to commemorate it. He remarked that he had ever remained grateful to God and the government and people of Nigeria for counting him worthy for contributing his quota in that capacity just as he recalled with nostalgia that the talk on the lips of every citizen of the country on the attainment of Independence was that total freedom from bondages in all its ramifications – political, social, economic, etc. was around the corner. However, Pa Akinkunmi submitted that it is hard to believe that 53 years after Independence, the genuine desires of the Nigerian masses had continued to remain mere dreams.