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The Theatre Arts And Motion Pictures Practitioners Association Of Nigeria (TAMPAN) on Friday said renaming the National Arts Theatre after Prof. Wole Soyinka would inspire the younger generation to thirst after excellence.
President Bola Tinubu in a tribute to the Nobel Laureate, in commemoration of his 90th birthday on Friday, said the National Arts Theatre in Lagos will henceforth be known as Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts.
The President said this was in appreciation for Soyinka’s remarkable contributions toward the growth of the literary industry.
Mr Bolaji Amusan, National President of TAMPAN, in an interview , said “this is a reward for excellence long overdue”.
Amusan congratulated Soyinka, urging Nigerian youth to emulate his virtues to attain success.
“This is a reward for excellence for Wole Soyinka. When things like this happen, it will inspire the younger generation to do more.
“For us at TAMPAN, it is an honour long overdue. We congratulate him and wish him sound health, more achievements even after 90,” he said
Soyinka is a playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist.
He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature for his wide cultural perspective and poetic overtones fashioning the drama of existence, the first sub-Saharan African to win the prize in literature.
Meanwhile, Tony Okoroji, Chairman of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), has commended the Federal Government for renaming the National Arts Theatre in Lagos after Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka.
Okoroji, in an interview on Friday in Lagos, said Soyinka deserves such recognition for the respect he commands on the global stage.
President Bola Tinubu disclosed the development in a tribute personally written and signed by him on Friday in Abuja, to mark Soyinka’s 90th birthday.
The President renamed the National Arts Theatre as Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.
“Wole Soyinka deserves the honour, he has distinguished himself, he earns lots of respect across the world.
“We need to continue with this, to build structures of arts and name them after distinguished Nigerians and not politicians.
“Let us begin to name structures after our beautiful musicians, literary giants and visual artists also,” Okoroji said.
He, therefore, urged the federal government to rename other monuments after Nigerian legends who have served the nation.
“Government should also remember others who have made the country proud like Chinua Achebe, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Victor Uwaifo, Sunny Okosun and more,” he said.