The Federal government has presented a cheque OF N30 million to the bereaved family of the designer of the National flag, late Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi.
The Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, presented the cheque to Akinwumi Akinkunmi at their Elelu residence in Ido local government area on Thursday.
Issa-Onilu attributed the delay in the presentation of the cheque, as promised by President Bola Tinubu, to the change in the leadership of the Agency.
He said, “The delay in the fulfilment of the Federal government promise to the family is as a result of the change in the leadership of NOA.
“However, we are here today, in the home of a great citizen of this country who developed the national flag that we all know as green, white, green that we use up till today.
“Entries were made by several Nigerians and his was considered as most representative of who we are as a people. Sixty-four years after, we are still using that flag shows the creativity and ingenuity of this very important Nigerian.
“I am aware, even though I wasn’t appointed as Director General of the NOA that time, that the President gave a directive that this place should be visited and that government must commiserate with this great Nigerian and the Minister of Information with the then Director General of the NOA, and they came to commiserate with the family.
“The transition which led to my appointment and resumption, delayed the process of finalising the government effort at showing appreciation to the family.
“Baba had passed, but he left very great Nigerians behind who are his children and other members of his family.
“We are here to commiserate with them and particularly to celebrate the life of this great Nigerian because it is a privilege to have your name entrenched permanently in the history of your country and this family shall continue to be appreciated and remain forever, a constant and legendary in our history as a country.
“On behalf of the federal government, on the directive of President Bola Tinubu, we wish to present just a token of appreciation to this family. This appreciation will be a continuous thing,” he said
He enjoined the family to keep up the legacy the late Pa Akinkunmi left behind.
Responding, one of the deceased children, Akinwunmi Akinkunmi, expressed gratitude to both the federal and Oyo state governments for their support, noting that the gesture was an indication that the nation acknowledged their late father’s contributions to the nation.
The Director General was accompanied on the visit by the State Director, Dr Oluwakemi Afolayan and other top management staff of NOA.
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