Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has revealed that he formally raised concerns about the heavy security entourage attached to President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, by contacting the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
Speaking at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Awards in Lagos on Monday, Soyinka said he was alarmed after witnessing what he described as “heavily armed battalions” guarding Seyi Tinubu.
Soyinka explained that he immediately sought out the NSA, who was then accompanying the President at a meeting in Paris, to draw attention to what he considered an excessive deployment of security resources.
“I started looking for the National Security Adviser. I said, track him down for me,” Soyinka recounted.
“I described the scene to him and asked, ‘Do you mean that the child of the Head of State goes around with an army for his protection?’”
He noted that additional inquiry confirmed that such an armed escort was a routine feature of Seyi Tinubu’s movements, including road clearances ahead of his convoy.
Soyinka criticised the development, saying it reflects poorly on the nation’s security priorities.
“Let’s not overdo things. This is not the first country that has a head of state, and children should know their place. They are not heads of state,” he said.
He warned that allocating such extensive security to one individual poses risks to Nigeria’s security architecture, stressing that national resources must be managed responsibly, even for the families of top government officials.
