On Friday, July 12, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu named the National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, after Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
Tinubu announced this in a letter he personally and wrote to the iconic figure in commemoration of his 90th birthday.
The letter was made available to the press by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.
Recall that Wole Soyinka, born in 1934, will be 90 on July 13, 2024.
Interestingly, over 80 schools in Nigeria have been scheduled to celebrate Soyinka for one month with an exhibition that includes performances, stage plays, and others.
But on Friday, in the tribute, Tinubu noted that the literary giant, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, deserves all the accolades for reaching this milestone.
Speaking further, the president added that it is fitting to celebrate Soyinka whom he described as a national treasure while he still alive as he .
He, however, added that he is 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.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, also disclosed this in a statement shared on his X page on Friday.
Earlier, TimesNow.com.ng reported that the Alake of Egba Land Oba Adedotun Gbadebo told President Bola Tinubu to honour Professor Wole Soyinka.
According to the monarch, the president should declare July 13 as Soyinka Day to celebrate the contribution of the Nobel Prize winner to humanity.
Gbadebo said the federal government should honour Soyinka with the Grand Commander of Order of Niger.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
