Soyinka brought Nigeria fame, deserves honour – Tinubu
CHIGOZIE AMADI
President Bola Tinubu has approved the naming of the full-scope Arterial road N20 from Northern Parkway to the Outer Northern Expressway (otherwise called the Murtala Mohammed Expressway) as the Wole Soyinka Way.
The President stated this during his address at the inauguration of the road in Abuja on Tuesday, where he described the 89-year-old playwright as a foremost playwright who has brought international acclaim to Nigeria, while appreciating the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for the recommendation.
“Let me say here that your momentous recommendation to name this road Wole Soyinka Way is well received. He is our foremost playwright, novelist, and Nobel prize winner, who has brought Nigeria fame and pride of international acclaim. Thank you for thinking that way, we all accept your recommendation on behalf of the people and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Professor Wole Soyinka has brought immense honour and fame to Nigeria through his unparalleled contributions to literature and his unwavering commitment to human rights and social justice.
“Naming this highway after him is a fitting tribute to a man who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of truth, freedom, and artistic excellence,” Tinubu said.
The PUNCH reports that the Wole Soyinka Way is the fifth project inaugurated by President Tinubu in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, as part of events to mark his administration’s first year in office.
Other projects inaugurated include the Southern Parkway, renamed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way, the Abuja Rail Mass Transit, otherwise known as the Metro Rail, and the Outer Southern Parkway, renamed the Mahamadou Issoufou Way, among others.
Tinubu said the inauguration of the road was a testament to the actualisation of his administration’s agenda to transform every part of the country, noting the importance of investing in infrastructure development to sustain growth and deliver economic prosperity to the people.
“The unveiling of the full-scope development arterial road N20, as you say, from Outer Southern Expressway to Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX), is another testament to the actualisation of our developmental agenda to transform every part of this country. We will do it.
“The completion of this strategic project, with its underground system of wastewater duct, fibre optic and many other facilities, cannot but be mentioned. “The population of Nigeria is growing, and the population of Abuja capital territory is growing. It is necessary to invest in infrastructure to sustain the growth and bring economic prosperity to our people,” the President said.
The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in his address, explained that the Wole Soyinka Way was awarded in 2020 at the cost of N30.6bn, noting that it was the fastest of all the projects completed in four years.
He added that with the work done in the FCT under Tinubu’s administration, it would be “very difficult” for anyone to challenge him in the FCT.
“This road was awarded in 2020. In fact, this is the fastest. It was awarded in 2020, not the ones that were awarded 15 years ago, 16 years ago. It was awarded at the cost of N30.6bn.
“In fact, I don’t want to talk politics now, but I do know it will be difficult for anyone to challenge you in the FCT. It will be very difficult. I dare say so because the facts are there, the things are there. It’s not about theory, it’s about the reality,” Wike said.
