President Bola Tinubu has said that the cancellation of the 65th Independence Day military parade afforded him the opportunity to sleep well and enjoy ‘nice breakfast’ on Wednesday.
At the unveiling of the renovated Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (formerly known as the National Arts Theatre) in Lagos on Wednesday, the President said that he slept well after the parade’s cancellation.
He said that he had a pleasant evening at the inauguration of the renovated centre, funded and overseen by the Central Bank of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee.
The event, he said, broke what he called the monotony of the usual military parade on the independence day anniversary.
The President told the gathering: ‘I’m more than grateful for tonight. I enjoyed the evening.
‘Happy 65th Independence Anniversary. This has broken the monotony of military march-past, parade and everything. By cancelling this programme, I was able to have a good sleep, have a nice breakfast and wait for this evening. And the evening is well spent’.
President Tinubu arrived at the venue at about 6:24 pm for the reopening ceremony of the monument.
In July 2024, he had renamed the edifice the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in honour of the Nobel Laureate.
At the unveiling, President Tinubu was joined by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas; his deputy, Hon. Benjamin Kalu; Emir of Kano, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II; and the host of the occasion, Soyinka.
The President expressed his satisfaction to have renamed the centre after Soyinka who he described as one of the greatest assets of the world, Africa and Nigeria.
He said the literary icon has contributed greatly to nation building and freedom.
‘So, it couldn’t have been anything else and I know definitely you (referring to Soyinka) will not disobey this president. I said it has to be Wole Soyinka Centre’, the President said.
