President Bola Tinubu has announced that the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, will be renamed The Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts to honor Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka on his 90th birthday, July 13, 2024.
Professor Soyinka, renowned globally as a playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, actor, singer, composer, and documentarian, was the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. He is also a vocal advocate for good governance and justice.
President Tinubu praised Soyinka as one of the finest minds of his generation, committed to enlightenment and staunchly opposed to injustice and oppression. Tinubu lauded Soyinka for his contributions to democracy and his fearless stand against corruption and poor governance.
Reflecting on their shared history, Tinubu highlighted Soyinka’s role in the fight for democracy in Nigeria, particularly following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Tinubu noted Soyinka’s efforts in exile to galvanize opposition against the military regime, making him a symbol of the struggle to restore democracy in Nigeria.
President Tinubu celebrated Soyinka’s influence on writers, scholars, and activists worldwide, acknowledging his role in inspiring resistance against military dictatorships. Tinubu expressed his delight in renaming the National Theatre in honor of Soyinka, wishing him many more years of good health and creative fulfillment.
Soyinka has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature, the Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Europe Theatre Prize (Special Prize).
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