Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka explains why he accepted the renaming of the National Theatre after him, praising the N68bn revamp by the Bankers’ Committee that transformed the edifice to global standards. President Tinubu also directed the CBN to float a National Theatre Endowment Fund.
Wole Soyinka Accepts Renaming of National Theatre After Him…, Gives Reasons
Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has revealed why he accepted the renaming of the National Arts Theatre, Lagos, after him — despite years of publicly opposing the appropriation of public monuments by governments.
Speaking at the reopening of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (formerly National Arts Theatre, Iganmu), Soyinka admitted that he initially resisted the gesture but was eventually swayed by the scale of the edifice’s N68 billion transformation spearheaded by the Bankers’ Committee.
“I have to stand up in public and watch my name being put up as yet another appropriator. It just didn’t sit well with me,” Soyinka confessed.
“But the monumental turnaround of this theatre complex made me eat my words. I never thought this place could be redeemed. The Bankers’ Committee proved me wrong — and I salute them for bringing it to global standards.”
The literary icon recalled the theatre’s deplorable past, describing it as nearly irredeemable.
“At one point, I nearly electrocuted two of my actors because water was everywhere and electric wires were exposed. The roof leaked badly. I thought this building was lost forever,” he said.
The revamp, however, has restored Soyinka’s faith. The renovated centre now features world-class performance halls, cinemas, exhibition galleries, an African literature library, rehearsal rooms, and modern facilities. Its outdoor space integrates with the Lagos Blue Line rail, making it a cultural and urban landmark.
Soyinka added a personal note of nostalgia: “I remember this building when it was first erected in the ’70s — we even nicknamed it the General’s Hat because of its roof design. This place belongs to me, to Nigerians, to Africa.”
Tinubu’s Endowment Fund Directive
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who graced the reopening alongside First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi, praised Soyinka as a global treasure.
“Prof. Wole Soyinka is one of the greatest assets of the world. The renaming of this theatre could not have gone to anyone else,” Tinubu said.
The President also directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to float a National Theatre Endowment Fund to ensure the sustainable maintenance of the centre, promising government contributions to the fund.
Tinubu used the moment to call on Nigerians to focus on rebuilding the country instead of negativity:
“Let us all come together to rebuild Nigeria. The youth should renew their hope and work for the greatness of our nation.”
CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso, who coordinated the Bankers’ Committee, explained that the ₦68 billion investment was not mere corporate social responsibility but a deliberate effort to safeguard Nigeria’s cultural future.
“This project is proof that when the public and private sectors unite behind a shared national purpose, there is no limit to what Nigeria can achieve,” Cardoso said.
“The Wole Soyinka Centre is more than a renovation — it is a rebirth.”
Completed in 1976 and inaugurated during FESTAC ’77, the National Arts Theatre had long symbolised African creativity but suffered years of decay. Its rebirth as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts is being hailed as the beginning of a new era for Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy and creative economy. Read More
