First Bank sponsors drama for Soyinka’s 90th birthday

First Bank has announced its sponsorship of the Lagos command performance of Eni Ogun (The Noble Warrior), a theatrical performance in honour of Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka as part of activities for the celebration of his 90th birthday.

The Noble Warrior produced by Cash Onadele and directed by Oriade Adefila, will be performed at the Muson Centre at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, 2024.

First Bank, in a statement on Tuesday, July 9, said the sponsorship was in recognition of the contributions and achievements of Soyinka.

The performance Executive Producer, Toye Arulogun, said: “First Bank is supporting this special production of The Noble Warrior as tribute to a national and global literary icon in consonance with the philosophy of the First@art initiative, conceptualised for the support of the creative arts and promotion of cultural development.

“Once again, the leading financial services solutions provider is proud to demonstrate its commitment to sustaining the creative arts industry and this partnership with Adubiifa Network Co. is part of the celebration of a landmark birthday of Prof. Wole Soyinka – pride of our cultural heritage.”

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Celebrating Soyinka, the Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications of First Bank, Folake Ani-Mumuney, said: “We are proud to be part of this special tribute to Professor Wole Soyinka, a true literary giant whose contributions to literature and humanity continue to inspire us all.

“First Bank’s sponsorship of the Noble Warrior – Eni Ogun is our modest way of demonstrating our appreciation of his contributions to Nigerian literature and culture; his writings have transcended borders and he remains a true embodiment of the power of art as a tool to uplift society.

“First Bank is woven into the fabric of society, and for 130 years, we have been enabling success in the creative industry value chain through our First@arts initiative and Eni Ogun is another opportunity to reinforce this impact to support and empower small businesses.”

According to the bank, the Nobel Warrior is set to tell the historical story of the successful defeat of the colonial forces at the hands of natives.

The story intends to reposition the truth in history and showcase the repercussions of cultural invasions and the fight for freedom against imposing powerful colonial invasions.

The Star