February 02, (THEWILL) – The information report that the Federal Authorities donated the sum of N30 million to the household of famend designer of the Nationwide Flag, late Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, two years after his demise, isn’t solely belated however an insult to the reminiscence of the patriot who designed the Nigerian flag in 1958 at age 22 and acquired 100 British kilos for his noble effort.
The inaction, lack of concern and hesitation displayed by the Federal Authorities for greater than a yr since Pa Akinkunmi died on August 29, 2023 on the age of 87 and was buried on September 6, 2024, a yr after, speaks quantity about how officialdom treats patriots on this a part of the world.
Aside from a authorities delegation despatched by President Bola Tinubu and led by the Minister of Data and Nationwide Orientation, Mohammed Malagi, to pay a condolence go to, the federal government didn’t honour its pledge to offer the late Nigerian hero a state burial and monetary assist to the household.
One of many sons of the deceased, Akinwunmi Akinkunmi, expressed gratitude to Tinubu for the gesture.
After ready for the promised state burial for over a yr, late Pa Akinkunmi’s household have been compelled to proceed along with his burial.
“We’ve to offer him the befitting burial he deserves,” his son, Akinwumi Akinkunmi, informed the BBC Give attention to Africa podcast.
Akinwunmi informed the BBC final yr that “the household had waited patiently for the federal government to fulfil its promise, however because the months glided by, it grew to become clear that no preparations have been being made.”
He informed BBC that whereas ready on the federal government, the household have been paying N2,000 every day to maintain the patriot’s stays in a morgue. “This was why the Oyo State Authorities determined to step in to fund the burial rites for the flag designer.”
Persevering with, Akinwunmi informed BBC that in June 2024 after ready helplessly, they discovered that “the humanities ministry’s Nationwide Institute for Cultural Orientation was answerable for arranging a state funeral for his late father. Nonetheless, regardless of an preliminary telephone name, there was no additional communication or progress from the establishment.”
He expressed fears that, “ready longer will dishonour his father’s reminiscence.”
Thankfully for them, the Oyo State Authorities needed to step in to assist the household and provides a befitting burial to their father.
On the interment of the octogenarian after a funeral service held on the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Street, Ibadan and attended by members of the Oyo State cupboard; members of the state advisory council; former Oyo Meeting lawmaker, Honourable Ibrahim Bolomope; GOFAMINT members; personnel of varied safety businesses, the nationwide choir, college students of Akinkunmi’s alma mater members of the family, amongst others, the Performing Governor of the state, Bayo Lawal, had this to say: “His burial ought to have been a Federal Authorities affair, reasonably than being left to the deceased household and the Oyo State Authorities as a result of Pa Akinkunmi represented a traditional instance of a nationwide icon and the Federal Authorities mustn’t abdicate its obligation to offer him the deserved respect and honour, whether or not alive or lifeless.”
Oyo State Commissioner for Data and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, issued an announcement to buttress the Deputy Governor’s comment, thus, “The commemoration of the demise of an iconic determine like Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, who designed the Nigerian flag 64 years in the past on the age of 23, must be handled as a nationwide competition. The truth that Pa Akinkunmi hailed from this a part of the nation doesn’t diminish his standing as a nationwide hero.”
Final Thursday, two years and 4 months after his demise and 6 months after his burial, the Director-Normal of the Nationwide Orientation Company, Lanre Issa-Onilu, within the firm of the Oyo State Director of the company, Olukemi Afolayan, formally offered the cheque on behalf of the Federal Authorities on the Ibadan dwelling of the late Akinwumi Akinkunmi. Unhappy.
The NOA DG stated, “The donation of N30 million to the household of a famend Nationwide Flag designer was to not pay for the providers of the late legend however to assist his household in appreciation of his contributions to the nation.”
Now, aside from its individuals, a rustic is understood by its flag and forex. For a person who designed the pre- independence flag that handed the essential evaluation of the British colonial authorities, his title must be within the lips of each of his compatriots. A nationwide burial would have etched him of their reminiscence perpetually.
To have lowered his patriotism to the, “donation of N30 million… to assist his household in appreciation of his contributions to the nation,” is so repulsively transactional to be thought-about a homage to Pa Taiwo Akinkumi’s reminiscence.
