Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and former presidential candidate, Kingsley Moghalu, has described Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka as a national treasure deserving of greater recognition from Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Tuesday to mark Soyinka’s 92nd birthday, Moghalu praised the playwright, poet and public intellectual for his enduring contributions to literature, democracy, human rights and good governance in Nigeria and across the world.

Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, has remained one of Africa’s most influential literary figures and a prominent voice on national and global issues.

Paying tribute, Moghalu said countries often accord distinguished personalities lasting national recognition, noting that Nigeria should do the same for Soyinka. He cited Argentina’s policy of granting lifetime pensions to Nobel laureates and recalled that the late military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida sent an official delegation to Stockholm when Soyinka received the Nobel Prize.

Moghalu also welcomed the recent conferment of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Soyinka, describing the honour as appropriate, though long overdue.

Reflecting on their relationship, Moghalu thanked Soyinka for his support during the 2019 presidential election, describing the Nobel laureate’s endorsement of his candidacy as one of the greatest honours of his life.

Soyinka celebrated his 92nd birthday on Monday, attracting tributes from political leaders, academics, civil society organisations and admirers across Nigeria and beyond for his lasting impact on literature and public life.