President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says renaming the renovated National Theatre after Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka was befitting honour to the legacy of a man whose literature and erudition had permanently placed Nigeria on the global stage of creative works and human rights advocacy.
Tinubu spoke on Wednesday while officially inaugurating the newly renovated National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, as part of events commemorating Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
At the occasion, Soyinka said he nursed reservations about accepting that the monument be named after him, given his known criticisms of renaming monuments after living leaders and important people.
However, he said, the President made it impossible for him to reject the honour.
The iconic National Theatre was started by the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon and completed during the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo and served as the primary venue for the Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu renamed the Theatre in honor of Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.
The Nobel Laureate went on to express his appreciation to the President and the CBN for reviving the theatre, admitting that he had never believed it could be salvaged, given the level of degeneration he had observed during his last visit.
He expressed his belief that the rebirth of the theatre will revive the promotion of arts, culture, and the creative economy in Nigeria.
In July 2024, President Tinubu renamed the theatre the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in honour of Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, a guest of honour at the event.
“Uncle Wole Soyinka is one of the most talented and creative minds. I remember your contribution to our struggle, nation-building and freedom. You are one of the world’s greatest assets. It could not have been anyone else, and I knew you would not disobey this President,” President Tinubu said.
He reiterated his call on Nigerians, both within and outside the country, to refrain from speaking ill of the country, as the nation is destined for greatness.
“This is a country of very proud people. We know what we are. It is about us believing in ourselves. From our parents, we inherited a nation of great, confident, and dedicated people. This country will succeed. Let us enjoy the glory. Lift Nigeria, believe in Nigeria. Put Nigeria first,” President Tinubu counselled.
The President commended the Governor of Lagos State, the Governor of the CBN, Yemi Cardoso, and the Bankers’ Committee, which contributed N68 billion to renovate the theatre, built in 1976.
President Tinubu also called on Cardoso to institute an endowment fund for its maintenance.
President Tinubu urged the managers of the edifice to create jobs, prevent it from degenerating as it had in the past, and preserve it in honour of Professor Soyinka’s legacy.
Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, commended the efforts of the Federal Government, under the Late President Muhammadu Buhari and now President Tinubu, as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria, for reviving the theatre after many years of neglect.
He said the Lagos State Government also contributed to the renewal by making more land available and providing a railway station close to the edifice to facilitate access.
Distinguished personalities at the event included the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu, Senators, members of the National and State Assemblies, Governors, Deputy Governor of Lagos, Obafemi Hamzat, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Ministers, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, traditional rulers and other senior government officials.
