The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to pay tribute to the late Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, the designer of the Nigerian national flag, who passed away in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Red Chamber’s decision followed a motion by Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC, Oyo South) during Tuesday’s plenary, urging the immortalization of the late Akinkunmi for his contributions to the country.
Akinkunmi, a retired civil servant and electrical engineer, passed away on August 29 at the age of 89. Although a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, he lived the majority of his life in Ibadan.
Senator Alli emphasized the necessity of commemorating the national flag designer’s legacy and proposed the renaming of a national monument in his honor.
He also proposed the establishment of a historical initiative to document the achievements and contributions of the deceased.
Supporting the motion, Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North) advocated for the posthumous conferment of a national honour on Akinkunmi, highlighting the importance of ensuring that future generations recognize his impact on the country’s development.
Emphasizing the significance of immortalizing the late Akinkunmi, all senators contributing to the motion stressed the need for the Federal Government to honour his memory.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently directed the chamber to observe a minute of silence in remembrance of the late national flag designer, acknowledging his invaluable contribution to Nigeria.
