By Ghana News

Copyright ghanamma

Ogbonge writer and di first Nobel Laureate for Africa, Wole Soyinka, say e accept di renaming of Nigeria National Theatre afta am wit mixed feelings, bicos im bin don criticise “personal appropriations of personal monuments by some of our past leaders”.

Nigeria President Bola Tinubu bin unveil di renovated National Theatre Building for Lagos on Wednesday as part of activities to celebrate di kontri 65 years of independence.

Tinubu bin don announce since 13 July 2024 – for Wole Soyinka 90th birthday – say govment go honour di renowned author wey e describe as “foremost advocate of good governance and of a fair and just society”.

“Soyinka na one of di finest minds of im generation; conforming to di highest standards of human enlightenment, but unyielding to injustice, oppression, and base impulses,” Tinubu bin tok dat time.

For di ceremony on Wednesday, Soyinka say na just about 25% of all di national monuments and institutions wey govemnt name afta Nigeria past leaders, dey deserved.

E say as im bin don dey criticise dis action of govment, “e bin no sit well wit me” to stand up for public and see my name dey put up as yet anoda appropriator.

“But by di time I look at di history of theatre for dis kontri and I tink of my predecessors… I say well, sombodi get to carry di can. And if a group of bankers come togeda, using some of my money – I bank wit dem afterall – in oda to honour me, wetin dey wrong wit dat? I decide to accept am,” Soyinka tok.

E also say di National Theatre building dey remind am of di Festac 77 activities wey bin dey celebrated “for dis veri hall”.

Di 91-year old appreciate di Banker’s Committee wey fund di renovation of di building, as e remember how di place bin don dey dilapidated and look like a slum sotey e bin tell di Lagos State govnor jokingly say make e plant bomb and blow di place up.

Anoda reason for accepting di honour be say “dis building dey owe me,” Soyinka tok.

“One of di debts be say dis building nearly electrocute two of my actors. Dat na how scata-scata e bin dey.

“Di roofs bin dey leak so water dey evriwia and of course electric wires bin full evriwia also, almost like say dem attach di wires deliberately to di pool of water. And I almost lose two of my performers hia.”

Soyinka describe im life as drama and say almost evritin wey don hapun for im life dey dramatic. If any creative artist run out of material to create, all di pesin need to do na to just look at my life and e go see plenty materials to create good theatre, e tok.

“For all those wey go use dis hall, make I remind you say I only represent di commitment of odas (wey bin uphold theatre for Africa). And my hope be say wit di recreation of dis institution, we no go dey go all di way to Abu Dhabi to watch African theatre,” Soyinka tok.

Oda national Institutions wey Tinubu govment don rename

For di two and half years wey Bola Ahmed Tinubu don dey for office as President of Nigeria, govment don name or rename plenty national instituions afta di president or oda politicians.

For June dis year, di Minister of di Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, rename di renovated International Conference Centre afta President Tinubu. Di ICC dey constructed by di military govment of Ibrahim Babangida in 1991.

Dat same June, President Tinubu name one 300-bed specialist hospital for Kaduna as di Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital, Kaduna.

Also, for July, shortly afta di death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Tinubu rename di University of Maiduguri afta am.

Earlier in January of 2025, Tinubu bin don commission one military barracks wey govment build new and name am ‘Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks’.

For last year March, di govnor of Niger State Mohammed Bago, rename di International Airport for Minna from Abubakar Imam Kagara International Airport to Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport.

In June 2024, Tinubu name one newly constructed expressway for Abuja afta Wole Soyinka, and in December of 2024, di headquarters of di Nigeria Immigration Service bin dey renamed as “Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex’.

Brief History of di National Theatre

Di construction of di National Theatre bin start in 1973 during di military regime of Yakubu, but na di Olusegun Obasanjo military administration later complete am for 1976.

Di major aim for di building na to be di ogbonge venue for performing arts, and also to host di Festival of Arts and Culture – to celebrate African culture and heritage. Di Festival hapun for Lagos Nigeria in 1977.

Dem build di monument for di Iganmu area of Lagos, and e follow di model of di Palace of Culture and Sports for Varna, Bulgaria wey dem build in 1968, but di National Theatre big pass di one for Bulgaria.

Afta many years wey di theatre bin don dey witout proper maintenance, one joinbodi of govment and private sector decide to renovate am and return am to im former ogbonge state.

Di Private sector part na ‘Di Bankers Committee’, one joinbodi of di chief executives of Nigerian banks wit di govnor of di Central Bank of Nigeria as di chairman.

Dem start di renovation for July 2021 wen Godwin Emefiele be CBN govnor, and complete am for August 2024 under Olayemi Cardoso who be di CBN govnor now.

Many Nigerians bin criticise di renaming of di International Conference Centre afta President Tinubu in June dis year.