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I Am Not Really Real — Wole Soyinka Reflects as National Theatre is Renamed in His Honour
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka accepts the renaming of Lagos National Theatre with “mixed feelings,” recalling its history, neglect, and his lifelong role in African drama.
The National Theatre in Lagos was officially renamed after Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka during a grand ceremony attended by President Bola Tinubu, traditional rulers, and leading cultural figures.
Accepting the honour, Soyinka confessed to having “mixed feelings,” recalling his past criticism of naming monuments after individuals. “I accepted this honour with mixed feelings… I have to stand up in public to watch my name being put up as yet another appropriator,” he said.
He noted the theatre’s long history, from FESTAC ’77 to years of neglect that nearly endangered his actors, and commended the banking consortium behind its restoration. “If eating one’s words produces a morsel like this, then it is a very tasty set of words,” he joked.
Reflecting on his life and career, the 89-year-old remarked, “Over the years, I discovered that I am not really real, that I am a bit of a dramatic creation by some anonymous artistes. Everything around me seems to involve drama.”
Soyinka urged the next generation of artists to draw inspiration from Africa’s cultural heritage, stressing that the revitalised theatre should showcase African drama at home, rather than abroad.
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