The history of Nigeria will never be complete if the flag is not mentioned, talkless of the person who took his time to design the country’s logo.
Designed in the year 1959, the Nigerian national flag is an adaptation of the winning entry from Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi in a competition held a year before independence (1959).
Taiwo who was 23 years old at the time, was studying at Norwich Technical College in London, England, when he saw an advertisement in a newspaper that submissions were being accepted for the design of a new national flag of Nigeria.
Upon submission, Akinkunmi’s design was chosen as the winner and was first officially used on October 1st, 1960, Nigeria’s Independence Day.
In his words, “I took details of what and what is expected to design a flag that would be used by a country that was about to witness the independence.
“I took part in the competition and my design was selected as the best in the year 1959.”
However, what is unknown to most people is that Akinkunm’s original design had a red radiating sun in the middle of the white stripe of the flag.
It was taken out at the decision of the judges.
Leaving it to what it has been since then: A clear display of equal proportionate colours of two green stripes, which represent Nigeria’s forests and wealth bordering, and a single stripe of white which represents peace and unity.
Some rules guarding the national flag
Just like it is in most part of the world, the Nigerian government enacted some rules which aim to instill in the individual, reverence for this National symbol. And they include:
1. The hoisting of the National Flag should be ceremoniously performed in the morning during sunrise and lowered at sunset because a flag of national importance does not sleep according to the Nigerian government.
2. If in any public place in Nigeria the National Flag is to be exhibited or flown for any purpose, it shall not be exhibited with or be flown on the same staff or cross bar with the flag of any state, or the flag of any Commonwealth or foreign country or any other flag.
3 .The national flag of Nigeria should be hung or half flew on days of state funerals or important memorial days.
4. . If the flag is in a room, no other flag should be placed higher than this national symbol.
5. . If the flag is torn or worn out it shouldn’t be flown or used, rather it should be burnt or destroyed.
