Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has revealed why he ultimately agreed to have the National Theatre in Lagos renamed after him, despite initial reservations, during the reopening of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (formerly the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu).
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Speaking on Tuesday, the renowned playwright admitted that he had once considered the historic complex “irredeemable and beyond repair,” citing deteriorated infrastructure, leaking roofs, and exposed electrical wiring that had once endangered his actors.
Soyinka recounted, “Well, I was already ambushed. They shaved my head behind me. I would have raised a squawk. But then I decided, this building belongs to me. It belongs to me.” The literary icon also recalled the theatre’s early days, noting its nickname “The General’s Hat” due to the roof’s distinctive design.
The ₦68 billion renovation project, spearheaded by the Bankers’ Committee, proved the theatre could be restored to international standards, compelling Soyinka to “eat his words.” He expressed hope that Nigerians would no longer need to travel abroad to experience world-class African theatre productions.
Soyinka, a long-time critic of successive governments that “appropriate public monuments,” admitted that accepting the renaming was not easy. He explained that nostalgia, the successful revival of the theatre, and what he humorously described as being “ambushed” influenced his decision.
The playwright praised the Bankers’ Committee for their vision and execution, noting that the theatre had now attained international standards. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented at the event, directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to establish a National Arts Theatre Endowment Fund to ensure the continued maintenance of the complex.
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