Just In: Monumental Loss as Co-Author of Nigeria's National Anthem Dies at 65
- Nigeria has been thrown into mourning following the passing of the co-author of the National Anthem, Prof. Babatunde Ogunnaike
- Ogunnaike, at the age of 21, wrote most of the words that make up stanza two of the National Anthem in 1977
- The Ijebu Igbo, Ogun state-born professor was one of five citizens whose words and phrases were combined to form the anthem
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Professor Babatunde Ogunnaike, the co-author of Nigeria’s National Anthem, has passed away. He was 65 years old.
He died in the US where he has been a professor for over 25 years, according to Gbenro Adegbola, a notable Nigerian educationist and publisher.
Source: Twitter
Adegbola in a series of tweets on Tuesday, February 22, stated that Ogunnaike was one of the five authors whose words and phrases were combined to form Nigeria’s National Anthem.
The other authors of the anthem were: John A. Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, Sota Omoigui, and P.O. Aderibigbe.
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Prof. Ogunnaike, who was a Dean of Engineering at Delaware University, wrote most of the words that make up stanza two of the National Anthem in 1977 at the age of 21.
He responded to a call for entries into a competition organised by the federal ministry of information to replace the anthem while serving in Port Harcourt.
The deceased who hailed from Ijebu Igbo, Ogun state was one of the two youngest writers.
His education
Born on March 26, 1956, he attended the University of Lagos for his bachelor’s degree, graduating with First Class Honours in chemical engineering in 1976.
He bagged an M.Sc. degree in statistics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD in chemical engineering also from the same university in 1981.
Author of Nigeria’s National Pledge, Prof. Adedoyin, passes on at 83
In a previous report by Legit.ng, Prof. Felicia Adebola Adedoyin who authored Nigeria’s national pledge passed on.
She died on Saturday, May 1, 2021, after a brief illness. Prof. Adedoyin lectured at the University of Lagos and was a consultant with the United Nations.
The professor wrote the national pledge in 1976. The pledge was initially written in the Daily Times on July 15, in an article titled ‘Loyalty to the Nation, Pledge.’
Outrage as photos of the current place where the man who designed Nigeria's flag lives emerge
Meanwhile, Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi who designed Nigeria's Flag is not living the best of life many would have thought, owing to the fact that he contributed to one of the country's symbols and by extension, a means of identification.
A 23-year-old Akinkunmi had thrown his hat in the ring as he offered to design the nation's flag. His design entry in 1959 became what is known today as the Nigerian flag.
Images shared on Instagram by @Kingtundeednut, showed Taiwo's abode reeks of one that is lacking basic care.
Source: Legit.ng
