Designer of Nigeria’s national flag Taiwo Akinkunmi is being buried in Ibadan, Oyo State capital more than one year after his death.
Born on May 10, 1936, in Ibadan, Akinkunmi died on August 29, 2023, aged 87.
His family was forced to proceed with the burial after waiting for the Federal Government for over a year to organise a state funeral.
Nigeria only recognised Akinkunmi as one of 50 distinguished Nigerians when the country celebrated its 50th year of independence.
In 2014, he was given the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Akinkunmi received a £100 award for designing the Nigerian flag in 1958.
A three-day funeral plan began for Akinkunmi on Wednesday, September 4 and ends today Friday, September 6, 2024.
Photos from Liberty Stadium in Ibadan show Akinkunmi’s brown coffin draped in Nigeria’s flag. A band from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was also present to pay their respects.
Akinkunmi’s son Akinwumi told BBC Focus on Africa that the family waited patiently for the government to fulfil its promise of state burial but it never materialised.
He revealed that the family have been paying N2,000 a day to keep the body at a morgue.
This was why the Oyo State Government decided to step in to fund the burial rites.
In a statement last month, Akinwumi said the family was still hopeful of hearing from the government as regards its promises in respect of the burial.
“While the family is waiting for the government to fulfil its promises, it appreciates the roles played by members of the 7th Oyo State House of Assembly, the Chairman, Oyo State Advisory Council, Bolaji Ayorinde, and members of the council for standing by the family,” he stated.
Akinwumi told BBC that in June, they found out that the National Institute for Cultural Orientation was tasked with arranging a state funeral.
However, there was no further communication from the institute on the matter despite an initial phone call.