Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
LAGOS, IKEJA – Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has revealed the reason he agreed to the decision to rename the National Theatre, Iganmu, after him because of the transformation of the edifice in Lagos state.
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in July 2024, renamed the theatre the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in honour of the literary icon, calling him one of “the most talented and creative minds”.
Speaking at the e-commissioning ceremony of the structure on Wednesday, Soyinka reminded those present of his notoriety when it comes to criticising the appropriation of public monuments by past leaders, where everything is named after them.
However, he added that those behind the renovation have made him eat his words.
“First of all, I’m notorious for criticising the appropriation of public monuments by some of our past leaders, where everything ends up being named after them.
“I have been guilty of saying that other people do not merit this kind of monumental dedication, and then I have been guilty of it myself. I had FESTAC ’77 in this very hall; when Lagos clocked 50 years, one of the places we visited was this hall.
ALSO READ: Obi Cubana Celebrates Former Lagos Hawker, Jeremiah on Bagging Law Degree
“When the governor and his team wanted to come back to take a second look, I said, ‘Go without me, I will advise you: get someone secretly, plant a bomb, and blow the place up,’ because it was not just a desert, it was a slum.
“But this Bankers’ Committee has made me eat my words. If eating one’s words produces something like this, it’s very tasty.
“I have to stand up in public and watch my name being put up as yet another appropriator. It just didn’t seem to work very well for me.
“And one of the reasons was that, I nearly electrocuted two of my actors. That is how they crept into my car. The roofs were leaking, so the pools of water were everywhere. And of course, there were electric wires also.
“One other reason is nostalgia. I remember this building when it was first erected, when we did it originally. I think we called it General’s Hat because of the shape of the roof. There’s a constant re-conception of very little of what I call the African architectural intelligence in it.
“Then there’s another reason why I thought I should accept. Well, I was already ambushed. They shaved my head behind me. I would have raised a squawk. But then I decided this building belonged to me. It belongs to me.
“So, having considered all these factors, I decided that I might as well accept it. After all, it’s one thing you can give people that doesn’t cost money.
“Once your personality is established, people want to preserve and grow it, even without paying relatives. Okay, they’re gonna have it,” Soyinka said.