Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has shared his reflections on accepting the renaming of the National Theatre in Lagos to the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts. Speaking at the reopening of the refurbished complex, Soyinka admitted to mixed feelings about the honour, having previously criticised the practice of naming public monuments after individuals.
Soyinka recalled his nostalgia for the iconic venue, its historic significance during FESTAC ’77, and his initial despair at its dilapidated state before the renovation. "I took one look at it... I said I would advise you, get somebody secretly, plant a bomb, and blow it up. It was irredeemable," he noted. Yet, he praised the theatre’s remarkable transformation, calling the renewal “a very tasty set of words” when it came to revising his earlier stance.
Acknowledging pioneers of Nigerian theatre such as Hubert Ogunde and Adam Fiberesima, Soyinka concluded that "somebody has to carry the can," accepting the responsibility and honour despite his reservations.
President Bola Tinubu, who personally decided on the renaming, emphasised that the move was not politically motivated. He lauded Soyinka as a “gem and talent,” one of Nigeria’s greatest national assets.
The renaming of the National Theatre marks a new chapter for Nigeria’s cultural heritage, with Soyinka’s name symbolising its importance in the creative arts landscape.