Connect with us

Featured

Tinubu’s Hails Wole Soyinka at 90, Names National Theatre after Nobel Laureate

Published

on

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, and named the National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, after him in honour.

Tinubu announced this in a letter he wrote to the iconic figure in commemoration of his 90th birthday.

“I am pleased to join admirers around the world in celebrating the 90th birthday of Nigeria’s iconic son and the world-renowned Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, famously known as Wole Soyinka.

“…the 13th July will be the climax of the series of local and international activities held in his honour. To underscore the global relevance of the literary giant, a symposium, along with poetry reading was held in Rabat Morocco on 9 July. The event was organized by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).

“Professor Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, deserves all the accolades as he marks the milestone of 90 years on earth. Having beaten prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his ruggedness as a person and the significance of his work.

It is also fitting we celebrate this national treasure while he is still with us. I am, accordingly, delighted to announce the decision of the Federal Government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.”

Tinubu said his government did not only celebrate Soyinka’s remarkable literary achievements but also his unwavering dedication to the values of human dignity and justice.

“When he turned 80, I struggled to find words to encapsulate his achievements because they were simply too vast. Since then, he has added to his corpus with his series of Interventions, which have been published in many volumes.”

“Professor Soyinka is a colossus, a true Renaissance person blessed with innumerable talents. He is a playwright, actor, poet, human rights and political activist, composer, and singer. He is a giant bestriding not just the literary world but our nation, Africa, and the world.

“He remains the shining light of our nation, the gadfly that pokes our national soul, decrying tyranny and oppression, urging us to become better as a nation.

“He is one Nigerian whose influence transcends the Nigerian space and who inspires people around the world. Since his youth, he has been a vocal critic of oppression and injustice wherever it exists, from apartheid in South Africa to racism in the United States. Soyinka always speaks truth to power.

“Beginning from his 20s, he took personal risks for the sake of our nation. His courage was evident when he attempted to broker peace at the start of the civil war in 1967. Detained for two years for his bravery, he narrated his experience in his prison memoir, “The Man Died.”

Despite deprivation and solitary confinement, his resolve to speak truth to power and fight for the marginalized was further strengthened. His early writing, such as ‘The Lion and the Jewel,’ ’Death and the King’s Horseman’, not only testified to his mastery of language, his innovative storytelling, but also his unflinching commitment to enthroning a fair and just society.

“Our paths crossed during our just struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria following the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election. When faced with a trial in absentia and death sentence by the military regime at home, he galvanized opposition in exile through NALICON and NADECO. His global stature made him the face of our struggle to validate June 12 and restore democracy in Nigeria.

“Today, I join the world to celebrate his profound influence on generations of writers, scholars, and activists who have been inspired by his work. I celebrate him for giving us the spark to fight and confront military dictators in our country. I celebrate him for his enduring spirit and for teaching us that literature and drama can be used as a powerful tool to challenge the status quo. I wish Professor Soyinka an incredibly happy 90th birthday.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured

Endure a Little Bit More, FG Tells Nigerians Amid Hardship

Published

on

By

The Federal government, on Thursday, said it appreciates the endurance of Nigerians on side effects of economic reforms, which it says have started yielding results.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, stated this during an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Finance.

According to him, teething problems from the reforms are over for Nigerians as positive indicators for better days are already emerging.

“The two critical reforms on market-based price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and foreign exchange, are now at the stage of results delivery and by extension, viability of the Nation’s economy through restoration of fiscal viability,” he stated.

“These two pillars of the economic reforms that have taken positive shape now portends additional revenue for government, recovery of the finances of NNPCL and strong  basis for growing the economy, in terms of attracting investment and creating of jobs.

“I think we need to commend Nigerians for staying the cause to  this stage of getting  benefits.”

On his part, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sani Musa, said the session was a fact finding one on workability or otherwise of the various reforms.

“Today we gather to deliberate on the pressing matters related to the sales of crude oil to domestic refineries in Nigeria, in Naira and its implication on the approved medium-term expenditure framework and fiscal strategy paper for 2024-2026 and what we should expect for 2025-2027.

“Additionally, we will examine shortfalls in NMPCL revenue remittances, focusing on key areas such as foreign and domestic excess crude accounts, the signature bonus accounts, NMPCL cash call account and any outstanding or remitted revenue linked to under-recoveries.

“This meeting underscores our commitment to transparency, accountability and the responsible management of our national resources.

“I am confident that with the collaboration of the Ministry of Finance under the able leadership of the coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria and Revenue Mobilization and Physical Commission and other critical stakeholders present here, we will identify solutions and ensure that due process are upheld for the benefit of our economy and the Nigerian people.”

Aside the Finance Minister, the Group Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mele Kyari, the Director General of Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, representatives of Governor of the Central Bank also attended the session which was later joined by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio while in closed door.

Continue Reading

Featured

Equatorial Guinea’s Randy Official Denies Sex Tapes, Claims They’re AI Generated

Published

on

By

Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a top government official in Equatorial Guinea, has finally spoken regarding the sex scandal involving hundreds of private recordings with high-profile individuals in the country.

The country’s Director General, National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, was arrested for allegedly recording over 400 sex tapes of the wives of notable people in the country.

The scandal emerged in the course of a fraud investigation against the 54-year-old Economist, which resulted in the search of his house and office on impromptu notice by ANIF officials who came across several CDs that later revealed his sexcapades with different married women.

The leaked recordings said to have been consensually filmed, have sparked widespread public outrage and intense scrutiny of the government’s top anti-corruption official.

However, responding to the allegations, Engonga via the microblogging platform, X on Tuesday, denied the authenticity of the videos, attributing the scandal to what he described as the work of “enemies” intent on tarnishing his reputation.

The 54-year-old official also refuted reports connecting one of the supposed victims to a recent suicide, labeling them as untrue.

The scandal has shaken Equatorial Guinea’s political landscape and raised questions about privacy and misconduct among top officials.

Engonga, who was taken into custody following the revelation, continues to deny any involvement as authorities proceed with their investigation.

I want to tell the People of Equatorial Guinea that those videos are AI edited. My enemies are trying so hard to bring me down

“Ignore the rumours about someone’s death linked to the leaked videos. They’re unfounded,” he said.

Engonga said he has only one wife and six children, adding that she is his hero.

I only have one wife and my 6 children. They keep me going. We are a happy family. They are my everything.

If anything ever happens, you are strong enough to guide our children through anything. I trust you completely. You are not just my wife, but my hero,” he added.

Continue Reading

Featured

More Millionaires Emerge in Glo Jolly Win Promo 

Published

on

By

The latest winners of the thrilling monthly Glo Jolly Win promotion, have received cheques of N1 million each from Globacom and its partners. This is in addition to the data and airtime bonuses that other Glo users who take part in the promotion receive every day.

At the monthly presentation ceremony in Lagos, five winners were credited with their winnings immediately after the symbolic presentation of their cheques.

Olieh Somtochukwu, a realtor based in Anambra State, became the first person to win N1 million in the promotion in September.

The promotion is being done by Globacom in partnership with Tetragrammaton, the value-added service provider for these services, and Nitroswitch, an aggregator firm licensed by the NCC.

If not that she doubted the veracity of the promo, Mrs. Adebayo Idowu, one of the winners, would have received her check during the first presentation in September. She was reluctant to accept that she had won a million naira, even after multiple conversations, including video calls.

After later becoming convinced, Mrs. Adebayo, a recently retired school teacher, was there with the new batch of winners to receive her prize at last.

Abiodun Oluwasanmi Temitayo, a mechanical engineer; Ashimiu Aminat Idowu, a teacher; Abdul Mumuni Oseni, a corporate driver; and Sanni Ganiu Bayo, a printing and publishing agent from Lagos, are among the other winners.

Speaking about the rewarding promo, Mojeed Aluko of Globacom’s Value Added Services department, said that “the Glo Jolly Win is a lottery service in which subscribers can answer trivia questions or spin a wheel to win loads of airtime, data and cash prizes for as low as N100/day, with no need for downloads or any storage usage on their phones. Subscribers can select their preferred services from the options of Jolly Trivia, Wheel, Win & Life to join in the fun and excitement of the lottery with the potential to become millionaires.”

Continue Reading

Trending