President Tinubu Celebrates Professor Wole Soyinka at 90

 

President Bola Tinubu extends his heartfelt congratulations to Nigeria’s literary titan, Professor Wole Soyinka, on his 90th birthday on July 13, 2024. Celebrated globally for his work as a playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, actor, singer, composer, and documentarian, Soyinka is also a staunch advocate for good governance and justice. He made history as the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.

President Tinubu praises Soyinka as one of the most enlightened minds of his generation, steadfast in his opposition to injustice and oppression. Highlighting their shared history in the struggle for democracy following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Tinubu lauds Soyinka's efforts in galvanizing opposition in exile, making him a symbol of the fight for democracy in Nigeria.

To honor his immense contributions, President Tinubu announces the renaming of the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, to The Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts. He wishes Soyinka many more years of health and creative fulfillment, acknowledging his profound impact on writers, scholars, and activists globally.