President Bola Tinubu has named the newly commissioned N20, from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), after Prof. Wole Soyinka in recognition of his contribution to Nigeria‘s development.
Tinubu made this pronouncement yesterday in Abuja, during the commissioning of the N20, from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern Expressway, after the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike appealed to him to name the road after the Nobel laureate.
The president, who accepted the recommendation from the FCT minister, described Wole Soyinka as Nigeria‘s foremost playwright, novelist, and Nobel prize winner, who has made Nigeria the pride of the international community.
“Let me say here that your momentum and recommendation to name this road as Wole Soyinka Way is well received. Thank you for thinking that way. We all accept your recommendation on behalf of the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“To the minister of FCT and his entire team, my presence here is to thank you very much for giving this government a very successful first-year landing.
“You inspired so many people and the acronym Wike is working is resonating with all of us. Today there is a great value in Abuja‘s capital territory. Talking about every part of Abuja, bringing economic prosperity to people. I wonder what the value of your IGR would be like when real estate is the real value of Abuja.
“It has been a great flurry of activities by all of us associated with you. The commissioning of the fill scope development at area roads N20, from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern expressway, is another testament to the actualisation of our development agenda to transform every part of this country. We will do it,“ he said.
Earlier, the minister of FCT, while delivering his address, said that one of the things President Tinubu has always done is to encourage people who have done well and excelled in their way.
“When you do that, you encourage other people too that tomorrow the government will also recognise them for doing well.
It is not when somebody dies that we will remember his contribution.
It is good when someone is alive, who has contributed and has made this country happy, to recognise him instead of waiting for him to die. A dead man does not know what happens. So, I will appeal to you to let us recognise one of our own, to name this road after him who has done well.
The only Nobel laureate we have that has made Nigeria proud globally. I recommend that this road should be named Wole Soyinka Way. In that case, other people will have hope; people like me will have hope that tomorrow, they will also recognise me,“ he said.
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