Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Wednesday, the 1st of October, 2025, explained why he accepted the renaming of the National Arts Theatre in Lagos after him.
Speaking at the reopening of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, he admitted that his acceptance came with mixed emotions. Soyinka said he had long dismissed the theatre as beyond repair until its recent transformation, funded by the Bankers’ Committee at a cost of ₦68 billion.
Soyinka acknowledged the dramatic turnaround but also expressed discomfort with the symbolism of having his name attached to a public monument.
“I have to stand up in public and watch my name being put up as yet another appropriator. It just didn’t seem very well for me,” he said.
He added that he was willing to “eat his words” if the successful revival of the theatre was the price of the renaming. The Nobel laureate recalled how the dilapidated state of the old theatre once left him frustrated, even joking that he nearly “electrocuted two of my actors” during a production due to leaking roofs and exposed wiring.
The reopening event brought together some of Nigeria’s most prominent figures, the people present were First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso, who coordinated the Bankers’ Committee, Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa.
President Bola Tinubu used the occasion to announce the creation of a National Arts Theatre Endowment Fund, pledging his personal contribution to guarantee the long-term preservation of the centre. He praised Soyinka’s cultural legacy, stressing that “there is no controversy” about renaming the theatre in his honour. The President urged Nigerians to believe in their country and avoid negative rhetoric that weakens national unity.
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Governor Sanwo-Olu described the restored facility as a new cultural and economic hub, designed not only for theatre and arts events but also for international conferences. He highlighted Lagos State’s role in supporting the project with land, improved access, and transport links, including integration with the Lagos Blue Line Metro rail system.
The renovated complex now boasts modern performance halls, cinema spaces, rehearsal rooms, exhibition galleries, an African literature library, and updated media infrastructure. Its grounds feature landscaped gardens, outdoor exhibition spaces, and improved public access.
Originally built in 1976 for FESTAC ’77, the National Arts Theatre had fallen into decades of neglect before the intervention. In July 2024, President Tinubu formally renamed the complex as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts.