Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has expressed mixed feelings over the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rename the National Theatre, Lagos, as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.

Speaking during the reopening and rededication of the refurbished edifice in Iganmu, Lagos, Soyinka reflected on his long-held opposition to the appropriation of public monuments by individuals in Nigeria.

“I have been guilty of saying other people do not merit this kind of monumental dedication, and then I had to stand up in public and watch my name being put up as yet another appropriator. It just didn’t sit well with me,” the playwright admitted. On Appropriation of Monuments

The literary icon, who has often criticised the indiscriminate naming of buildings and roads after leaders, said he accepted the honour “with mixed feelings.”

“I’ll be modest, given the general estimate, to say that about 25 percent of monuments in this country, whether they are buildings or roads, are well and truly deserved,” he noted.

Tribute to Theatre Pioneers

Soyinka used the occasion to pay homage to Nigerian theatre pioneers such as Hubert Ogunde and opera composer Adam Fiberesima, saying that in the end, “somebody has to carry the can.”

Nostalgia and Harsh Memories

Recalling the origins of the National Theatre during the military era and its role in FESTAC ’77, Soyinka spoke with nostalgia but also lamented the years of decay.

At one point, he described the iconic cultural hub as “irredeemable” and “like a slum.”

“When Lagos was celebrating its 50th anniversary, we looked for a hub, a centre of activities. One of the places we visited was here. I took one look and told the governor’s team to go without me. I advised: get somebody secretly, plant a bomb, and blow it up. It was irredeemable. It was a slum,” Soyinka said.

Praise for Transformation

The Nobel Laureate, however, praised the restoration of the monument, commending its transformation into a befitting national landmark.

“If eating one’s words produces a morsel like this, then I don’t mind dining on them. This is not the same building I once gave up on,” Soyinka remarked, drawing applause from the audience.