President Bola Tinubu has described famend playwright and novelist, Prof. Wole Soyinka, as a glorious brightness of Nigeria whose affect transcends the Nigerian area.
Celebrating Soyinka’s ninetieth birthday, Tinubu named the Nationwide Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos nearest the Nobel Laurel winner.
The theatre is now to be referred to as ‘Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts’.
In a congratulatory message in my opinion signed by way of the president on Thursday, Tinubu maintained that Soyinka merits birthday celebration, noting that he has been taking dangers for the rustic since he was once in his 20s.
Tinubu additionally recalled Soyinka’s contribution to the recovery of autonomy in Nigeria, noting that his world affect made the editor the face of the attempt to validate June 12, 1993 presidential election.
The President mentioned, “Our paths crossed all through our simply attempt for the enthronement of autonomy in Nigeria following the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election.
“When confronted with a tribulation in absentia and demise sentence by way of the army regime at house, he galvanised opposition in exile thru NALICON and NADECO. His world stature made him the face of our attempt to validate June 12 and repair autonomy in Nigeria.
“Beginning from his 20s, he took personal risks for the sake of our nation. His courage was evident when he attempted to broker peace at the start of the civil war in 1967. Detained for two years for his bravery, he narrated his experience in his prison memoir, “The Man Died.”
“Soyinka, the primary African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, merits all of the accolades as he marks the milestone of 90 years on earth. Having overwhelmed prostate most cancers, this milestone is a becoming testomony to his ruggedness as an individual and the usefulness of his paintings.
“It’s also becoming we proclaim this nationwide fund life he’s nonetheless with us.
“We don’t handiest proclaim Soyinka’s important literary achievements but additionally his i’m sure determination to the values of human dignity and justice.
“Soyinka is a colossus, a real renaissance particular person blessed with innumerable abilities. He’s a playwright, actor, poet, human rights and political activist, composer, and singer. He’s a immense bestriding no longer simply the literary international however our crowd, Africa, and the arena.
“He remains the shining light of our nation, the gadfly that pokes our national soul, decrying tyranny and oppression, urging us to become better as a nation.”
In the meantime, the President of the Centre for Alternate, Dr Joe Odumakin, additionally paid tribute to Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka on his ninetieth birthday.
In a commentary acquired by way of Saturday PUNCH, she described Soyinka as a residing legend.
It learn, “As our residing legend, Soyinka’s presen is a testomony of constancy to prime beliefs. He’s honoured no longer handiest because the epitome of the excellent within the world family of letters but additionally as a glorious superstar within the Nigerian firmament. We want to proclaim Prof Wole Soyinka as he steps into the pantheon of nonagenarians nowadays.
“Soyinka, respected for his profound have an effect on on literature and his unyielding stance in opposition to injustice, continues to encourage each in the community and across the world.
“We celebrate this ultimate icon who will continue to receive accolades for centuries to come. We honour him for he still stands as a bulwark against injustice and oppression.”