President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned the newly renovated National Theatre in Lagos, renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.
Tinubu said the decision honoured the Nobel Laureate’s lifelong contributions to literature, human rights and Nigeria’s global reputation.
“Uncle Wole Soyinka is one of the most talented and creative minds. I remember your contribution to our struggle, nation-building and freedom. You are one of the world’s greatest assets,” Tinubu said.
He insisted it could not have been anyone else and added: “I knew you would not disobey this President.”
Theatre as a National Rebirth
The President said the rebirth of the theatre would revive arts, culture and the creative economy. He urged Nigerians at home and abroad to speak well of their country.
“This is a country of very proud people. From our parents, we inherited a nation of great, confident, and dedicated people. This country will succeed. Lift Nigeria, believe in Nigeria. Put Nigeria first,” Tinubu declared.
He praised the Lagos State Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee for their investment in the project.
He also directed CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso to establish an endowment fund for the theatre’s maintenance.
Sanwo-Olu: A Landmark Reborn
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the reopening as more than an infrastructure project.
“This landmark is more than concrete and steel; it is the heartbeat of our nation’s creative soul. Culture is not an accessory to development; it is the foundation of identity, unity and progress,” he said.
He revealed Lagos contributed more land and built a railway station nearby to improve access to the complex.
Professor Soyinka, the guest of honour, admitted he once believed the decaying theatre could never be saved.
He said he was reluctant to have the building named after him, recalling his past criticisms of renaming monuments after living persons. Yet, Tinubu’s gesture left him no room to refuse.
“I never thought this theatre could be revived. What I saw on my last visit was hopeless. But the impossible has happened,” Soyinka said.
A Cultural Turning Point
Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, called the reopening a turning point for Nigeria’s creative industry. She praised Tinubu for creating a dedicated ministry for arts and culture for the first time in Nigeria’s history.
Cardoso added that the theatre now boasts world-class halls, galleries and cinema spaces, placing it among leading cultural hubs globally.
“This project preserves our heritage and honours Nigeria’s artistic heroes. The creative sector can drive economic growth and diversification,” the CBN governor said.
The event drew prominent figures, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, ministers, governors, and traditional rulers.
Performances by the National Troupe of Nigeria, Gerald Eze Ensemble, MudArt House, and Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions lit up the evening.
How The Theatre Was Reborn
The renovation of the National Theatre was part of a ₦68 billion project funded by the Bankers’ Committee under an agreement with the Federal Government. Work officially began in July 2021 after an MoU was signed, with contractors such as Cappa & D’Alberto handling key aspects of the restoration.
The upgrades transformed the 1976 edifice, bringing back its 4,000-seat main hall, three cinema halls, exhibition spaces, banquet hall, industrial kitchen, fire station, and over 300 new toilet cubicles.
Modern systems were also installed, including HVAC, stage engineering, audio-visual and lighting, solar power, and lifts. The Lagos State Government complemented the project with a new railway station nearby to ease access.
In July 2024, President Tinubu renamed the complex the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts to mark the Nobel laureate’s 90th birthday.
The renamed theatre, once left in neglect, now stands as a beacon of culture, identity and resilience. The question is whether this revival can be sustained—or if it risks sliding back into decay.
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