President Bola Tinubu has renamed the National Theatre in the Iganmu area of Lagos State after Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.
The president announced this in a birthday message to the renowned playwright who turns 90 on Saturday, July 13.
He said it is fitting that the country celebrates Soyinka, whom he described as a national treasure, while he is still alive.
“I am, accordingly, delighted 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.
“We do not only celebrate Soyinka’s remarkable literary achievements but also his unwavering dedication to the values of human dignity and justice,” said Tinubu.
Soyinka was the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986.
Tinubu continued, “Having beaten prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his ruggedness as a person and the significance of his work.”
Soyinka was also in the proverbial trenches as activists battled the military to enthrone democracy.
Tinubu said, “Beginning from his 20s, he took personal risks for the sake of our nation.
“His courage was evident when he attempted to broker peace at the start of the civil war in 1967.
“Despite deprivation and solitary confinement, his resolve to speak truth to power and fight for the marginalized was further strengthened.
“His early writing, such as ‘The Lion and the Jewel,’ ’Death and the King’s Horseman’, not only testified to his mastery of language, his innovative storytelling, but also his unflinching commitment to enthroning a fair and just society.
“Our paths crossed during our just struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria following the annulment of the 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.”
Tinubu described Soyinka as a Nigerian whose influence transcends the country, noting his criticisms of the apartheid era in South Africa and racism in the US.
