President Bola Tinubu has named the just inaugurated arterial road N20 from the northern parkway to the outer northern expressway (ONEX) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as Wole Soyinka Highway.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the announcement in a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle yesterday.
He said the naming of the road after the Nobel Laureate was recommended by the FCT Administration (FCTA).
Tinubu, in naming the road after Soyinka, who will be 90 on July 13, highlighted his contributions to literature and his role in elevating Nigeria’s global cultural standing
Onanuga wrote: “In naming the road after the distinguished playwright, poet and novelist, the President noted that Soyinka is the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize. He said Soyinka has brought honour and fame to Nigeria.”
Tinubu added that the gesture is a fitting tribute to a man, who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of truth, freedom, and artistic excellence.
“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,” he added.
In May, Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister, named Abuja’s Southern Parkway after Tinubu.
The Southern Parkway stretches from the National Christian Centre to Ring Road 1, and is considered one of the city’s major spines.
The minister said the project was completed in line with the President’s renewed hope agenda, 13 years after construction commenced, adding that it would ease the free flow of traffic in the FCT.
The Parkway complements the Northern Parkway, the major arterial known as Sani Abacha Road that runs across Mabushi and terminates at Life Camp.
The project was commissioned by Tinubu, who had just returned from an official trip to Lagos, where he flagged off the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, which began in March.
