Soyinka Criticises  Seyi Tinubu’s ‘Excessive’ Security Escorts

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has expressed concern over what he described as an excessive deployment of state security around Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, warning against the misuse of public security resources for privileged individuals.

Soyinka spoke on Tuesday in Lagos at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Awards, where he cautioned the President to exercise restraint in matters of regional security, domestic governance, and the allocation of state protection.

His remarks were captured in a four-minute, 25-second video shared Tuesday night on X by #NigeriaStories, which has since gone viral.

Recounting a recent experience in his Ikoyi hotel room, Soyinka said he was shocked by what he considered an extravagant show of security surrounding a young man closely linked to the Presidency.

“I saw an excessively large security battalion assigned to a young individual close to the Presidency,” he said, describing the entourage as one that was “enough to take over a small country.”

According to Soyinka, he later discovered that the individual was Seyi Tinubu, a revelation that prompted him to contact the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

“I was so astonished that I started looking for the National Security Adviser,” Soyinka said. “I asked whether it was true that a child of the head of state goes around with an army for personal protection. I couldn’t believe it.”

He added that further inquiries suggested this level of security was routine for the President’s son, a development he said raised serious concerns.

“Children must understand their place. They are not elected leaders, and they must not inherit the architecture of state power simply by proximity,” Soyinka said.

In another remark at the same event, held in honour of veteran poet Odia Ofeimun and others, Soyinka urged the President to reconsider the scale of security personnel attached to his son, stressing that such resources are urgently needed elsewhere in the country.

Though he made a light-hearted comment suggesting that Seyi Tinubu could be deployed to handle an insurgency given the size of his escort, Soyinka stressed that the issue was fundamentally serious.

“Beyond the humour lies a serious matter of priority and fairness,” he said, warning that concentrating a battalion of operatives around one individual was at odds with a nation grappling with kidnappings, insurgency, rural attacks, and widespread criminal violence.

He insisted that security deployment must reflect national needs rather than personal privilege.

Beyond the security issue, Soyinka also used the platform to praise journalists for their resilience, while urging greater editorial discipline amid growing misinformation.

He warned that misuse of social media could trigger future conflicts and described credible journalism as one of Nigeria’s strongest safeguards against instability.

The viral video, shared around 10:18pm on Tuesday, had recorded more than 27,000 views, hundreds of reposts, and dozens of quote reactions as of the time of reporting.

In the same footage, Soyinka cautioned against Nigeria’s reported involvement in a recently halted coup attempt in the Republic of Benin, describing it as an unnecessary military entanglement. He warned that instability in neighbouring countries often has direct consequences for Nigeria.

Turning to domestic matters, Soyinka criticised ongoing demolitions in Lagos, saying he had received reports and images of displaced families. While acknowledging the need for urban reforms, he called for humane and dignified evacuation processes that protect vulnerable citizens.

As of Tuesday night, there was no official response from the Presidency. There has also been no independent confirmation that the individual Soyinka referred to was indeed Seyi Tinubu.

It will be recalled that in late November, President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs nationwide, directing that they be redeployed to core policing duties.

Short URL: https://www.africanexaminer.com/?p=104972