Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described the unveiling of the renovated National Arts Theatre, now renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, as a rebirth of a national icon and a celebration of Nigeria’s creative soul.
Delivering his keynote address at the commissioning ceremony attended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and other dignitaries, Sanwo-Olu said the event was not only historic but symbolic of Nigeria’s cultural renewal.
“I have the pleasure and the privilege to welcome you all, our guests, our friends, and well-wishers of Lagos State to this historic occasion of the commissioning and restored, reformed National Theater in Government Lagos. Now renamed the Wole Soyinka Center for Arts and Culture, on behalf of the government and people of Lagos State, I extend our best and sincere wishes to our warmest welcome to you all,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu hailed President Tinubu’s presence, describing him as “the Father of the Nation, under whose watch the story of Lagos began to change for the better a quarter of a century ago.”
He added that hosting the president during Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary was deeply symbolic, as Lagos was the same city where the Union flag was lowered and the Green-White-Green flag hoisted for the first time in 1960.
“We gather not only to witness the commissioning of a renovated edifice, but to celebrate the rebirth of a national icon, the National Arts Theater, now rightfully named as the Wole Soyinka Center for Culture and Creative Arts. This landmark is more than concrete and steel. It is the heartbeat of our nation’s creative soul.”
The governor recalled the historic FESTAC ’77, which brought African and black voices from across the globe together in the same hall nearly five decades ago.
“It was here that we showed what was possible when culture led the way, when art became the language of unity. That same spirit lives here today. FESTAC ’77 gave us the National Theater, and the National Theater in turn gave us FESTAC ’77, demonstrating to the world that Africa and the black civilization can indeed achieve when we put our minds and our hearts to it.”
Sanwo-Olu noted that despite its proud beginnings, the edifice had been neglected for decades until the Federal Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bankers’ Committee and Lagos State joined forces to restore it.
“Lagos State is proud to have been a key stakeholder and partner in this project, and we have demonstrated this in every concrete way. First, we ensured that the Blue Line meshed through, which had dedicated stops here at the complex. Then, the restoration began. We contributed a sizable portion of additional land to enable the development of world-class creative art around this theater. What this means is that today’s commissioning is only the beginning.”
He emphasised that the centre’s restoration was the first phase of a much bigger vision to position Lagos as Africa’s cultural capital.
Paying glowing tribute to Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, in whose honour the theatre has now been renamed, Sanwo-Olu said:
“I cannot conclude without paying special tribute to the man, the icon, after whom this center has now been renamed by His Excellency, Mr. President —Professor Oluwole Akinwande Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel laureate in literature.
“His works are proof of our beloved city’s enduring inspiration. With this official opening, we are confident that Prof. will be spending even more time here in Lagos, staging his landmark works and creating new ones for us.”
The governor concluded with optimism about the future of Lagos:
“Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. President, a new Lagos is emerging before our eyes, a true modern mega-city of Africa. FESTAC ’77 no longer stands as a pinnacle of what Lagos can do. It is indeed the foundation from which endless possibilities now arise. I thank His Excellency, Mr. President, for joining us and commissioning this rebirth of Lagos’ landmark. God bless Lagos State. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,”he concluded.
Boluwatife Enome
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