President Bola Tinubu has approved the request by to name the Arterial Road N-20 after Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.

The road stretched from Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Expressway to Outer Northern Expressway (Murtala Mohammed Expressway).

Mr Wike made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday during the inauguration of the road by the president to celebrate his one year in office.

The minister said, “It is not when somebody dies that we will remember his contributions. It is good, in the lifetime of someone who has contributed to the greatness of this country, to recognise him, rather than waiting for him to die. A dead man does not know what happens.

“I will appeal to you sir, to let us recognise one of our own, by naming this road after him. The only Nobel Laureate we have, has made Nigerians proud in the world.

“I recommend that this road be named, Wole Soyinka Way. In that case, other people will have hope. People like me will have hope that tomorrow they will also recognise me.”

Mr Tinubu approved the minister’s request to name the road after Mr Soyinka, whom he described as “a famous playwright, novelist and Nobel Prize winner.”

Mr Wike explained that the road was awarded in 2020 at N30.6 billion and had no variation, adding that he had inspected the execution of the road more than 10 times to ensure timely delivery within specifications.

He stressed that it would be difficult for any leader to challenge Mr Tinubu’s achievements in Abuja, considering the level of infrastructure and administrative development in just one year in office.

“It will be difficult for anybody to challenge you in FCT. It will be very difficult. I said so because the facts are there. It is not about theory. It is about reality,” he said.

Mr Wike commended the president for changing the narrative of civil service in FCT.

According to the minister, with the establishment of FCT Civil Service Commission, workers in FCTA no longer run to the Federal Civil Service Commission for progression.

“They get promoted on their own. Most of them have never dreamed in their lives that they would reach the peak of their career as head of service and as permanent secretaries,” said the minister.

He added, “Your political will, which you have always shown, has given them hope, and that is why today, if we decide to do something, you will see everybody working together so that we achieve it.”

(NAN)