Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described the unveiling of the renovated National Arts Theatre, now renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, as a rebirth of a national landmark and a celebration of Nigeria’s creative spirit.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Tuesday, which was attended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and other dignitaries, Sanwo-Olu said the project symbolised a renewal of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
“We gather not only to witness the commissioning of a renovated edifice, but to celebrate the rebirth of a national icon,” Sanwo-Olu said. “This landmark is more than concrete and steel. It is the heartbeat of our nation’s creative soul.”
The governor recalled the theatre’s historic role during FESTAC ’77, which hosted artists and cultural icons from across Africa and the black diaspora. He lamented years of neglect but noted that the Federal Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bankers’ Committee, and Lagos State partnered to restore the facility.
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos contributed significantly to the project, including providing additional land for the development of world-class creative hubs and aligning the Blue Line rail project to serve the complex. He added that the commissioning marked the first phase of a broader plan to position Lagos as Africa’s cultural capital.
The governor also paid tribute to Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, in whose honour the theatre was renamed. “His works are proof of our beloved city’s enduring inspiration. With this official opening, we are confident that Prof. Soyinka will spend even more time here in Lagos, staging his landmark works and creating new ones for us,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu concluded with optimism about the state’s future, describing Lagos as a modern African mega-city built on the legacy of cultural milestones such as FESTAC ’77.
