President Bola Tinubu announced on Friday that the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos, will be renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in honor of Africa’s first Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on his 90th birthday.

In a statement personally signed by President Tinubu, he praised Soyinka as a “national treasure and global icon” for his contributions to literature, human rights, and political activism. “I am pleased to join admirers around the world in celebrating the 90th birthday of Nigeria’s iconic son and the world-renowned Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, famously known as Wole Soyinka,” Tinubu stated.

President Tinubu noted that July 13 will mark the climax of a series of local and international activities held in Soyinka’s honor, including a symposium and poetry reading organized in Rabat, Morocco, on July 9 by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).

Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, has earned numerous accolades for his work. Having overcome prostate cancer, his 90th birthday stands as a testament to his resilience and enduring impact.

“It is fitting we celebrate this national treasure while he is still with us. I am, accordingly, 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,” Tinubu announced.

Praising Soyinka’s steadfast commitment to human dignity and justice and his pivotal role in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy, Tinubu emphasized the importance of honoring Soyinka’s achievements during his lifetime.

He added, “He gave us the spark to fight and confront military dictators in our country. He taught us that literature and drama can be powerful tools to challenge the status quo.”