President Bola Tinubu has renamed the National Theatre, Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos, as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.

Mr Tinubu disclosed this in a tribute written and signed by him on Friday in Abuja to mark Mr Soyinka’s 90 birthday.

“I am delighted to announce the decision of the federal government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.

“We do not only celebrate Soyinka’s remarkable literary achievements but also his unwavering dedication to the values of human dignity and justice,” said the president.

He said he joined admirers worldwide in celebrating the 90th birthday of the world-renowned Soyinka. 

“Tomorrow, July 13, will be the climax of the series of local and international activities held in his honour.

“To underscore the global relevance of the literary giant, a symposium, along with poetry reading, was held in Rabat, Morocco, on July 9, an event organised by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA),” said the president.

He said Mr Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, deserved all the accolades as he marked the milestone of 90 years on earth.

“Having beaten prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his ruggedness as a person and the significance of his work. It is also fitting we celebrate this national treasure while he is still with us,” he said.

He described Mr Soyinka as a colossus, a true renaissance person blessed with innumerable talents, who “always speaks truth to power.”

“He remains the shining light of our nation, the gadfly that pokes our national soul, decrying tyranny and oppression, urging us to become better as a nation. 

“He is one Nigerian whose influence transcends the Nigerian space and who inspires people around the world,” said the tribute.

Mr Tinubu stated that since Mr Soyinka’s youth, he had been a vocal critic of oppression and injustice wherever it existed, from apartheid in South Africa to racism in the United States.

“I wish Professor Soyinka an incredibly happy 90th birthday,” the president said.

He prayed that Mr Soyinka continues in good health to find creative fulfilment in the next decade leading up to his centennial. 

(NAN)