By WALE OJO-LANRE Esq
In as much as I am not against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the most capable and visionary leader of our time, for naming the National Theatre after Prof. Wole Soyinka—a man I love, respect, and deeply adore—my literary hero, whose wit, courage, and creativity I sometimes mimic—I humbly submit that the honour, though noble, would have been more fitting if bestowed upon a university, an academic institution, or a centre for performing arts.
This is because Prof. Wole Soyinka represents the intellectual and literary hemisphere of our national life, while the Late Chief Hubert Adedeji Ogunde embodies the living spirit and physical soul of Nigerian theatre itself.
I solemnly believe that the National Theatre, that sacred temple of performance and artistic expression, should have been named after Hubert Ogunde, the man who laboured most intensely for the growth and dignity of that very sector.
Chief Hubert Ogunde planted theatre in the consciousness of Nigerians and, by extension, in the soul of the nation. He sowed seeds of performance all over Africa and Europe, introducing Nigerian artistry to the world when the idea of “cultural diplomacy” was still unborn.
As the pioneer of modern Nigerian theatre, Ogunde did not merely act or entertain—he educated, inspired, and mobilized a generation. He headed the National Troupe with matchless devotion, giving Nigeria an early reputation for excellence in creative performance.
It was Ogunde who, through his legendary performance of The Fisherman Dance in Agadir, Morocco, lifted Nigeria’s image to unprecedented heights on the international stage.
Ogunde also blazed forth in cinematography, blending drama, music, dance, and film into one harmonious narrative of national identity. His productions were schools of consciousness, and his art, a weapon of patriotism.
More so, no other individual promoted and patronized the National Theatre more than Ogunde during his lifetime. He made that edifice his second home—its stage, his pulpit; its lights, his torch of enlightenment.
Ogunde’s life work was to build Nigeria’s cultural dignity. Naming the National Theatre after him would not only immortalize a titan; it would restore balance and justice to our artistic heritage.
Indeed, Ogunde is it—the true father of Nigerian theatre, the first ambassador of our performing arts, and the man who transformed the stage into a mirror of national identity.
He deserves it. He earned it.