By MUHAMMED DAMBABA
Nobel Laureate Questions Why President’s Son Moves With “Troops Enough to Invade a Small Country”
Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has sharply criticised what he described as the excessive and troubling level of security deployed around the family of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, warning that such overreach undermines Nigeria’s already strained security priorities.
Speaking at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Awards in Lagos, the globally acclaimed writer revealed a recent encounter that left him stunned: a “battalion-level” security detail attached to the president’s son, Seyi Tinubu, during a stay at a hotel in Ikoyi.
“I Thought a Film Was Being Shot” — Soyinka Recounts Shocking Scene
Soyinka narrated that he had stepped out of his hotel when he noticed what appeared to be a movie set due to the sheer number of heavily armed personnel occupying the premises.
“I was coming out of my hotel, and I saw what looked like a film set,” he said. “A young man detached himself from the actors, came over and greeted me politely. When I asked if they were shooting a film, he said no. I looked around and there was nearly a whole battalion occupying the hotel grounds.”
He later discovered that the young man was Seyi Tinubu. According to Soyinka, no fewer than 15 heavily armed officers formed the security ring, each carrying assault-level firepower.
“When I got back in my car and asked the driver who the young man was, he told me. And I saw this SWAT team, heavily armed to the teeth. They looked sufficient to take over a neighbouring small country or city like Benin,” he added, underscoring his shock.
Soyinka Says He Tried to Reach NSA Over the “Alarming” Escort
Deeply unsettled, Soyinka said he immediately attempted to contact the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to confirm whether such a deployment was sanctioned.
“I began looking for the NSA immediately. I said, track him down for me. They got him somewhere in Paris, but he was in a meeting with the president,” he said. “I described the scene and asked: ‘Do you mean a child of the head of state goes around with an army for his protection?’ I couldn’t believe it.”
The Nobel laureate emphasised that his concern was not personal but rather rooted in the implications of such misuse of security resources, especially in a country battling severe threats across all regions.
‘Send Seyi to Stop an Uprising’ — Soyinka Mocks Federal Priorities
In a moment laced with trademark sarcasm, Soyinka suggested that the federal government may not need to deploy the military or air force to quell external or internal threats if the president’s son already moves with a force large enough to suppress an insurrection.
“Tinubu didn’t have to send the air force or military to deal with any insurrection. There is an easier way,” he mocked.
“Next time there’s an uprising, the president should call that young man and say, ‘Seyi, go and put down those stupid people there. You have troops under your command.’”
The auditorium reacted with a mix of shock, laughter, and applause as Soyinka used satire to highlight what he sees as the growing distortion of Nigeria’s security system.
“Children Must Know Their Place” — Nobel Laureate Warns of Dangerous Overreach
Soyinka stressed that while every head of state has a family, the privileges attached to such families must never undermine national security priorities. He warned that state resources must not be redirected toward individuals who hold no constitutional authority.
“Children should know their place. They are not potentates; they are not heads of state,” he said. “The security architecture of a nation suffers when we see such heavy devotion of security to one young individual.”
He added that Nigeria cannot afford such misallocation at a time when communities across the country face daily threats from terrorists, kidnappers, and organised criminal groups.
Public Debate on Security Privilege Deepens
Soyinka’s comments feed into a growing public debate over the scale of state-provided security for politically connected individuals. Many Nigerians have questioned why children of top office holders move with convoys and armed escorts that rival those of senior government officials, even as insecurity escalates nationwide.
His remarks are expected to reignite discussions on accountability, security reform, and the urgent need to prioritise citizens’ safety over political privilege.
Focus Key Phrase: Wole Soyinka criticises excessive security around Tinubu’s son
Hashtags: #WoleSoyinka #SeyiTinubu #NigeriaSecurity #Tinubu #WSCIJ #BreakingNews #NigeriaPolitics
