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President Bola Tinubu has renamed the National Theatre in Lagos in honour of Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.
In a statement released on July 12, 2024, the president praised Soyinka's immense contributions to literature and society and announced that the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, would be renamed "The Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts" in his honour.
Soyinka, who turns 90 on July 13, 2024, is celebrated worldwide as a playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, and advocate for good governance.
He became the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 and has received numerous other prestigious awards, including the Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature and the Europe Theatre Prize.
In his tribute, President Tinubu described Soyinka as one of the finest minds of his generation and lauded his unwavering stance against injustice and oppression.
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The president recalled their shared efforts in the struggle for democracy in Nigeria following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, highlighting Soyinka's pivotal role in galvanising opposition through NALICON and NADECO during his exile.
Soyinka influential to our fight against military dictators
Tinubu expressed his admiration for Soyinka's enduring influence on writers, scholars, and activists globally and his courageous fight against corruption and maladministration 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," the President stated.