President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially designated the Arterial Road N20, which extends from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX), as Professor Wole Soyinka Highway.
The decision follows a recommendation from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration, announced by Presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday, June 4th, 2024.
The renaming celebrates Professor Wole Soyinka, an esteemed playwright, poet, and novelist, who will mark his 90th birthday on July 13th.
President Tinubu underscored Soyinka’s significant contributions to literature and his influence on Nigeria’s cultural presence globally.
Soyinka is notably the first African recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
“Professor Wole Soyinka has conferred immense honor and renown upon Nigeria with his matchless contributions to literature, and his steadfast dedication to human rights and social justice,” declared President Tinubu.
“Bestowing his name upon this highway is a befitting homage to a man who has devoted his life to the ideals of truth, liberty, and artistic distinction.”
The newly christened Professor Wole Soyinka Highway is a testament to national esteem and a recognition of Soyinka’s lasting heritage. This thoroughfare is crucial to Abuja’s transportation grid, linking pivotal locales and enhancing citywide transit.
This accolade precedes Nigeria’s and the international community’s anticipation of celebrating the 90th birthday of one of Africa’s most venerated literary icons. The official naming ceremony is slated to occur shortly, with an assembly of dignitaries and cultural luminaries gathered to commemorate Soyinka’s profound influence on literature and society.
