₦airaland Forum

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Thursday, explained why he accepted the decision to rename the National Arts Theatre, Lagos, after him.


Soyinka said he never believed the edifice could be renovated, noting that he had considered it irredeemable until the recent revamp by the Bankers’ Committee.

Speaking at the reopening of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, he admitted that he accepted the honour with mixed feelings, despite being a critic of past leaders who appropriated public monuments.


“I have to stand up in public and watch my name being put up as yet another appropriator. It just didn’t seem very well for me,” he said.

He added that he was willing to “eat his words”if the monumental turnaround of the theatre was the price of the renaming.

Source: https://dailypost.ng/2025/10/02/why-i-accepted-renaming-of-national-arts-theatre-after-me-soyinka

Your brother govt rehabilitated ICC far above the original price it was built among many other fraud. But you said nothing. He didn't eat his word when the bigotry in him couldn't allow him condemn the uselessness of the government of his emilokan brother

Meanwhile, same man called Jonathan daft and all manners of unprintable names for situation that were not as worst as what Nigeria has in place today. You have a date with posterity. Gray hair is not wisdom or sagehood.

What a flowery way to say "Why I am a Hypocrite". He spent years condemning the renaming of national monuments after others until he became a beneficiary. Tinubu has a wonderful way of using inducements to buy out his critics and would-be critics.

Prof is now old and doesn't have the strength to criticise anymore because his good friend is in power.

He's now ready to accept and enjoy whatever the people in power throw at him in compensation for his fight against the military misrule.

A sucker for new useless roads has spoken. Scratch Yekini's back and he scratches yours.

He is observing Table manners
When e no Favour you,na corruption but when it does,na connection

I truly believe that some of our leaders, who genuinely wish for the next generation a country of their dreams, should not hesitate to call a spade a spade because they have absolutely nothing to fear or lose.


We still expect more from you, sir, while you enjoy your longevity in good health and happiness.

People just want to be unnecessarily MISCHIEVOUS . Soyinka made his stance very, very clear.

For clarity click and read the full context.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/825263-why-i-accepted-national-theatre-renaming-in-my-honour-wole-soyinka.html

I love Yoruba people I love the culture

But in this Life and Next Life
I can NEVER trust a Yoruba man.

Hausa are known for their toughness
Igbos are known for their Business
Yorubas are known as 2 faced people

I can eat with a Yoruba man
I can laugh with a Yoruba man
But I can never trust or believe what a Yoruba man says. Tomorrow he will switch mouth

It's in their DNA

Singing "story Story,story". once upon a time,time time..

Softmirror:
People just want to be unnecessarily MISCHIEVOUS . Soyinka made his stance very, very clear.

Did he reject the 'appropriation'?

The Prof is no longer the same. Its as simple as that.

If it was Jonathan who did this, would you have accepted it?

Racoon:
Your brother govt rehabilitated ICC far above the original price it was built among many other fraud. But you said nothing. He didn't eat his word when the bigotry in him couldn't allow him condemn the uselessness of the government of his emilokan brother

Meanwhile, same man called Jonathan daft and all manners of unprintable names for situation that were not as worst as what Nigeria has in place today. You have a date with posterity. Gray hair is not wisdom or sagehood.

Pray to achieve 20% of his achievements at 90+ with the kind of strength he has. When a monument is named after you at old age, you can reject it.

This is his payment for the gibberish lie he spewed out a few weeks back about being kidnapped and robbed in Romania in order to downplay the country’s dire security situation. Hypocritical, Senile grand patron of cultists. Everybody don sabi una hand. We Dey front dey wait.

RillJ:
Did he reject the 'appropriation'?

The Prof is no longer the same. Its as simple as that.

He's 90+ and the strength for trouble is no longer there.

happney65:
Singing "story Story,story". once upon a time,time time..

What about this story, story, story, once upon a time.

PenpalOso:
This is his payment for the gibberish lie he spewed out a few weeks back about being kidnapped and robbed in Romania in order to downplay the country’s dire security situation. Hypocritical, Senile grand patron of cultists. Everybody don sabi una hand. We Dey front dey wait.

And you think wole soyinka would lie against the Romania as a nation, a case that was reported to the Romania Police authority?

He added that he was willing to “eat his words”if the monumental turnaround of the theatre was the price of the renaming.....😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Baba with all due respect,you have been silenced..


Silencer Baba 😂😂😂😂😂

Baba silencer 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

AMINDA:
What a flowery way to say "Why I am a Hypocrite". He spent years condemning the renaming of national monuments after others until he became a beneficiary. Tinubu has a wonderful way of using inducements to buy out his critics and would-be critics.

Softmirror:
People just want to be unnecessarily MISCHIEVOUS . Soyinka made his stance very, very clear.

softmirror, how are people mischievous?

is it not soyinka who is mischevous by being a critique of naming public structures after individulas but sees nothing wrong in him benefitting from what he condemned?

Tareq1105:
Pray to achieve 20% of his achievements at 90+ with the kind of strength he has. When a monument is named after you at old age, you can reject it.

why did Soyinka not reject the naming since he was in the habit of criticing past governments for naming public monuments after individuals?

Racoon:
Your brother govt rehabilitated ICC far above the original price it was built among many other fraud. But you said nothing. He didn't eat his word when the bigotry in him couldn't allow him condemn the uselessness of the government of his emilokan brother

Meanwhile, same man called Jonathan daft and all manners of unprintable names for situation that were not as worst as what Nigeria has in place today. You have a date with posterity. Gray hair is not wisdom or sagehood.

Please make we hear word jare, no be because of President Tinubu u no get joy.

Oga u don cast jare. You went to the commissioning of an uncompleted road and said "I am a sucker for new roads". Road wey dem never finish. Shameless hypocrite.

A very cunning and crafty man, beleive anything he says at your own peril

Yorubastardz:
I love Yoruba people I love the culture

But in this Life and Next Life
I can NEVER trust a Yoruba man.

Hausa are known for their toughness
Igbos are known for their Business
Yorubas are known as 2 faced people

I can eat with a Yoruba man
I can laugh with a Yoruba man
But I can never trust or believe what a Yoruba man says. Tomorrow he will switch mouth

It's in their DNA

At least dem no go run away from war like Ojukwu after leading millions to die and running away with their funds.
I can tell you a thing today and switch mouth tomorrow because it's a different day..
Price of bag of rice for January different for December...
So no go kill yourself.

Abeg make we heard word jo. You've truly shown Nigerians your true colour.

Prof. you put Nigerian literature on the map,
Nothing do you, you deserve to be immortalized