Flag of Nigeria

Proportion	1:2
Adopted	October 1, 1960
Designed by	Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi

Colonial Flag of Nigeria

The flag of Nigeria was designed in 1959 and first officially hoisted on October 1, 1960. The green bands represent the forests and abundant natural wealth of Nigeria while the white band represents peace.

The national flag is an adaptation of the winning entry in a competition held in 1959. The original had a red sun with streaming rays placed at the top of the white stripe. This was removed by the judges and the flag has not been altered since. Like Ghana, Nigeria has special flags for civil and naval vessels and at one time the states also had flags. The designer was a student from Ibadan, Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi.Taiwo Akinkunmi who hailed from Owu in Abeokuta, Ogun State was a Student of Norwich Technical College, England when he saw the advertisement in the national daily that the entry was going on for Nigerian National Flag. Akinkunmi, who was a student of Agric Engineering then got the zeal to contribute to the independence of his fatherland quickly prepared his entry and sent it to Lagos where his entry was eventually picked in 1958 as the best and the flag was used to celebrate independent Nigeria on October 1, 1960 when the Union Jack (British Flag) was lowered for Nigeria Flag in the colour green white green to take its place on air. Taiwo Akinkunmi though still living in penury believed that gradually Nigeria is gaining her image back as a sovereign state since 1999 when we switched back to democratic system of government. He further added that Nigeria can only gain a full stature of a democratic state if all joins hands together to fight corruption and elevate justice, equity and human right which are the bedrock of democracy. Akinkunmi who have received numerous award from both individual and organizations is presently living in Ibadan and he’s looking forward to a day that Federal government would deem it fit to honor him with National Award.

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