The National Theatre in Lagos will henceforth be known as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigeria’s literary giant and global icon, Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, known worldwide as Wole Soyinka, on his 90th birthday on July 13, 2024.
Professor Soyinka is celebrated internationally as a playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, actor, singer, composer, and documentarian. He is also a leading advocate for good governance and a fair and just society. In 1986, he became the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The Nobel Laureate has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature, the Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Europe Theatre Prize for Special Prize.
In a statement released on Friday by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu described Professor Soyinka as one of the finest minds of his generation, upholding the highest standards of human enlightenment while remaining steadfast against injustice, oppression, and base impulses.
President Tinubu praised Soyinka as one of Nigeria’s living repositories of history, knowledge, and courage, commending him for his unwavering efforts in the trenches for the nation’s future. He lauded Soyinka’s role as a pro-democracy champion and a strong voice against corruption and maladministration over several decades.
According to the President: “Our paths crossed during our just struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria following the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election. When faced with a trial in absentia and death sentence by the military regime at home, he galvanized opposition in exile through NALICON and NADECO. His global stature made him the face of our struggle to validate June 12 and restore democracy in Nigeria.
“Today, I join the world to celebrate his profound influence on generations of writers, scholars, and activists who have been inspired by his work. I celebrate him for giving us the spark to fight and confront military dictators in our country.
“I am, accordingly, delighted to have the honour to announce the decision of the Federal Government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, as The Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts”.
President Tinubu wished Professor Soyinka many more years in good health and creative fulfilment as a global force for change.
