President Bola Tinubu has described the renaming of the commissioned renovated National Theatre in Lagos after Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, as a fitting honour for a global icon whose works have advanced Nigeria’s creative industry and human rights advocacy.
Tinubu on Wednesday during the commissioning said the rebirth of the theatre would strengthen the promotion of arts, culture and the creative economy in the country.
This was stated in a release by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, (Information & Strategy).
The President had in July 2024 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.
He recalled that in July 2024, the Federal Government renamed the edifice the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in recognition of the laureate’s contributions to literature, freedom and nation-building.
“Uncle Wole Soyinka is one of the most talented and creative minds. Your contribution to our struggle, nation-building and freedom makes you one of the world’s greatest assets. It could not have been anyone else,” Tinubu said.
The President urged Nigerians at home and abroad to speak positively about the country, stressing that the nation was destined for greatness.
He also commended Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Yemi Cardoso, and the Bankers’ Committee for mobilising N68 billion to fund the renovation, while calling on Cardoso to institute an endowment fund for the theatre’s maintenance.
Governor Sanwo-Olu praised the Federal Government and the CBN for reviving the cultural landmark after years of neglect, noting that Lagos also supported the project by providing land and a railway station to improve access.
Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, described the day as a turning point for Nigeria’s cultural and creative sector, while Soyinka himself expressed appreciation to Tinubu and the CBN.
Soyinka admitted he never believed the theatre could be salvaged.
He noted his initial reservations about monuments being named after living persons but said the President made it impossible for him to reject the honour.
CBN Governor Cardoso said the facility now boasts world-class halls, galleries, cinemas and modern infrastructure, designed to preserve Nigeria’s heritage and highlight the creative industry’s potential for economic growth.
The commissioning was attended by top government officials, lawmakers, governors, traditional rulers and dignitaries, with performances from the National Troupe of Nigeria, Gerald Eze Ensemble, MudArt House Company and Bolade Austen-Peters Productions.
National Theatre: No honour too big for Soyinka – Tinubu