In honour of Africa’s first Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, President Bola Tinubu has renamed the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos. The cultural centre will now be called Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.
A National Asset
President Tinubu made the announcement in a statement personally signed by him to mark Professor Soyinka’s 90th birthday on July 13, 2024.
He called Soyinka “a national treasure and global icon” for his work in literature, human rights and politics.
“I join all other admirers around the world to celebrate the 90th birthday of Nigeria’s own and the world’s Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, Wole Soyinka,” Tinubu said.
Local and Global Celebrations
This is part of the series of events marking the milestone. A symposium and poetry reading held in Rabat, Morocco on July 9, organised by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) is one of the global celebrations.
A Literary Colossus
Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, is rugged and significant.
He recently survived prostate cancer. Tinubu said we should honour Soyinka while he is still alive.
Legacy of Activism and Impact
President Tinubu praised Soyinka’s unflinching commitment to human dignity and justice and his role in Nigeria’s democracy struggle.
“He gave us the courage to fight and confront military dictators in our country,” he said. “He taught us the power of literature and drama to challenge the status quo.”
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