Tinubu names National Theatre after Wole Soyinka as birthday present

President Bola Tinubu on Friday announced that the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, will henceforth bear the name of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

Tinubu stated this in a statement issued to celebrate the 90th birthday of the renowned playwright and literary icon.

The President praised Soyinka’s outstanding literary achievements and his 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 were too vast to sum up, and his work continues to inspire generations.

“I am delighted to join admirers around the world in celebrating the 90th birthday of Nigeria’s iconic son and world-renowned Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, popularly known as Wole Soyinka.

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“Tomorrow, July 13, will be the culmination of a series of local and international events held in his honor. To underline the global relevance of the literary figure, a symposium, along with a poetry reading, will be held in Rabat, Morocco on July 9. The event is organized by the Royal Academy of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).

“Professor Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, deserves every accolade as he marks the milestone of 90 years on earth. Having overcome prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his resilience as a person and the importance of his work.

“It is only right that we celebrate this national treasure while it is still with us. I am therefore very pleased to announce the decision of the Federal Government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, to the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts.”

The renaming of the National Arts Theatre to the Wole Soyinka Centre for Cultural and Creative Arts is a fitting tribute to Soyinka’s legacy, cementing his place in Nigeria’s cultural heritage. It celebrates not only Soyinka’s literary prowess but also his unwavering dedication to upholding humanitarian values ​​and justice.

Tinubu names National Theatre after Wole Soyinka as birthday present first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.