President Bola Tinubu on Friday announced that the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, would henceforth bear the name of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
Tinubu stated this in a statement, issued to celebrate the 90th birthday anniversary of the renowned playwright and literary icon.
The president, praised Soyinka’s remarkable literary achievements and unwavering commitment to human dignity and justice.
Tinubu hailed Soyinka’s milestone birthday as a testament to his resilience, having overcome prostate cancer. The President noted that Soyinka’s contributions to literature and the arts are too vast to encapsulate, with his work continuing to inspire generations.
“I am pleased to join admirers around the world in celebrating the 90th birthday of Nigeria’s iconic son and the world-renowned Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, famously known as Wole Soyinka.
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“Tomorrow the 13th July will be the climax of the series of local and international activities held in his honour. To underscore the global relevance of the literary giant, a symposium, along with poetry reading was held in Rabat Morocco on 9 July. The event was organized by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).
“Professor Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, deserves all the accolades as he marks the milestone of 90 years on earth. Having beaten prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his ruggedness as a person and the significance of his work.
“It is also fitting we celebrate this national treasure while he is still with us. 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.”
The renaming of the National Arts Theatre to the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts is a fitting tribute to Soyinka’s legacy, solidifying his place in Nigeria’s cultural heritage. This gesture celebrates not only Soyinka’s literary prowess but also his unwavering dedication to upholding human values and justice.