President Bola Tinubu has extended his heartfelt congratulations to Nigeria’s literary titan, Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, as he turns 90 on July 13, 2024. Familiarly known as Wole Soyinka, this global icon has made remarkable contributions as a playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, actor, singer, composer, and documentarian.
Soyinka, celebrated worldwide, holds the distinction of being the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. His advocacy for good governance and a just society has been unwavering. Among his numerous accolades are the Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature, the Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Europe Theatre Prize's Special Prize.
In a statement released on Friday by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu praised Professor Soyinka as one of the most enlightened minds of his era. He lauded Soyinka’s steadfast opposition to injustice and oppression, hailing him as a living repository of history, knowledge, and courage. Tinubu commended Soyinka's enduring fight for democracy and against corruption, highlighting their shared struggle following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
“Our paths crossed during our just struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria,” President Tinubu remarked. “When faced with a trial in absentia and death sentence by the military regime, he galvanized opposition in exile, becoming the face of our struggle to restore democracy.”
To honor Soyinka’s legacy, President Tinubu announced the renaming of the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, to The Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.
President Tinubu wished Professor Soyinka many more years of good health and creative fulfillment, celebrating his profound influence on writers, scholars, and activists worldwide.
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