Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has criticised what he described as the “excessive” security escort attached to Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism Awards in Lagos, Soyinka recounted a recent encounter in his Ikoyi hotel, where he witnessed what he called “an excessively large security battalion” escorting a young man “close to the Presidency.”
He said he later discovered the individual was Seyi Tinubu, prompting him to contact National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu for clarification.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Soyinka said, noting that the escort was large enough to “take over a small country.” He added that children of leaders “are not elected officials” and should not inherit state power or protection structures meant for national priorities.
Soyinka warned that deploying such a large number of operatives around one individual is inappropriate for a nation grappling with kidnappings, insurgency, and widespread insecurity. He stressed that security resources must reflect the country’s needs rather than privilege.
