Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has cautioned President Bola Tinubu over what he described as troubling signs in the government’s approach to regional security, domestic governance, and the use of state protection for privileged individuals.
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Soyinka made the remarks at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism Awards held in Lagos on Monday, where he recounted a recent encounter in Ikoyi that left him deeply concerned.
In a now-viral video, the playwright described witnessing “an excessively large security battalion assigned to a young individual close to the Presidency,” saying the convoy was “sufficient to take over a small country.” He later discovered that the individual was Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son.
According to Soyinka, the discovery alarmed him enough to reach out to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. “I was astonished,” he said. “Children must understand their place. They are not elected leaders, and they must not inherit the architecture of state power simply by proximity.”
Soyinka urged President Tinubu to reduce Seyi Tinubu’s escort size, stressing that such security resources are badly needed in critical areas of national insecurity. With humour, he remarked that if a major insurgency were to erupt, the President might as well send Seyi to confront it, “given the size of his escort,” adding that behind the humour lies a serious question of fairness and priority.
He argued that concentrating a battalion of security operatives around one individual is inconsistent with the country’s urgent battles against kidnapping, rural attacks, insurgency and violent crime.
Soyinka also warned that Nigeria’s participation in the recently halted coup attempt in Benin Republic carries significant risks, describing it as “another unnecessary military entanglement next door.”
@thenigerialawyerSoyinka Decries Seyi Tinubu’s ‘Excessive’ Security Escort, Warns Presidency on Governance Priorities
He stressed that instability in neighbouring countries inevitably affects Nigeria, saying, “What happens in Benin inevitably affects us. Instability anywhere in the region echoes across our own sense of security.”
Turning to domestic issues, Soyinka criticised the ongoing wave of demolitions in Lagos, noting that he had personally received distressing photos and testimonies from displaced families.
He urged authorities to conduct any necessary urban reforms with humanity. “Let us not strip away the dignity of the people affected,” he said.
Addressing journalists at the event, Soyinka praised their resilience but warned that rising misinformation poses grave dangers.
He cautioned that “the next great conflict may be triggered by the misuse of social platforms,” urging stronger editorial discipline and renewed commitment to verification.
As of Tuesday night, there was no official response from the Presidency regarding Soyinka’s comments or confirmation from government sources about the security entourage he referenced.
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