Family of Late National Flag Designer pleads with Oyo Govt, FG, to take action on Burial

Reported by Ibadan Media

The family
of late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, through the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) worldwide
has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the delay in the burial of
the National Flag designer. Pa Akinkunmi
passed away on August 21, 2023, and his burial is yet to happen due to the Federal
Government\'s promise to give him a dignified farewell.

The government
delegation, led by the Minister of Information and National Orientation,
Muhammad Idris, visited the deceased\'s family in Ibadan, where Pa Akinkunmi resided
until his passing.

In a letter
signed by the Vice President, Engr Adekunle Ogundana, YWC pleaded with
President Tinubu, stating that since the deceased\\\'s body was placed in a morgue
after his passing, the family has been bearing the cost of N2,000 daily without
receiving any assistance as earlier promised by the Federal Government and Oyo
State government.

The letter stated in part, ‘’This open letter is for
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally look into this issue as a matter of
urgency. The designer of the flag of Nigeria Late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi
(OFR) (Mr Flag Man) died on August 21, 2023, and his body was deposited in a
morgue at a location in Ibadan, Oyo State.”

The family claimed that “the Senate has asked the Federal
Government to immortalize the designer of the Nigerian national flag, the late
Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi. The motion was sponsored by Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC,
Oyo South) and seconded by Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North), who noted
that the late Pa Akinkunmi should be immortalized with a national honor”.

“The family of Pa Akinkunmi had planned the burial for
December 7 and 8, 2023, but it was annulled by the Oyo State Government on the
ground that there was no representation from the government to confirm the date
chosen by the family.”

According to Vanguard, it was gathered that a meeting was held
on November 29, 2023, with the deceased\'s family and the Oyo State House of
Assembly promising to pick a suitable date for the burial.

The proposed new dates of April 10-12, 2024, were chosen by
the deceased\'s family for the state burial of their late father have also lapsed,
and all efforts to reach the governor or his representatives have proved futile.

“By this open letter, the Yoruba World Congress (YWC), UK, is
calling on the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to urgently look into this
matter so that the family can bury their dead and be pacified.

“Yoruba
World Congress (YWC) is a socio-cultural organisation of Yoruba descent
worldwide with the responsibility to promote, defend and achieve the collective
growth and developmental aspirations and interests, prosperity, security,
wellbeing, welfare, and sustenance of Yoruba people and culture”, the letter also
read.