Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has raised concerns over the unusually large number of armed security personnel accompanying Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Awards in Lagos on Tuesday, Soyinka said the overwhelming security presence surrounding members of the President’s family paints a troubling picture of Nigeria’s priorities and overall security structure.
He noted that while it is understandable that presidents everywhere have families who require protection, such privilege should never be excessively stretched or turned into an unnecessary display of force.
Soyinka recalled being taken aback when he stepped out of his hotel and saw what initially appeared to be a movie production unfolding across the premises. “I was coming out of my hotel, and I saw what looked like a film set. I said, Oh, they are shooting a film on the ground of the hotel,” he said.
He explained that a young man approached to greet him politely, prompting him to ask jokingly whether a film was being shot. But his attention shifted quickly as he noticed what seemed like an entire security unit stationed around the hotel grounds.
The dramatist said that when he got into his car and asked his driver who the young man was, he realised the scale of the armed presence. According to him, “I saw this SWAT team, a mixture; they were heavily armed, at least some 15 or so heavily armed to the teeth security personnel looked sufficient to take over a small country neighbouring city like Benin.”
Disturbed by the scene, Soyinka said he immediately reached out to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to verify whether such a deployment was officially sanctioned and necessary.
“I was so astonished that I started looking for the national security adviser. I said, ‘Track him down for me.’ I think they got him somewhere in Paris. But he was with the president; he was in a meeting. Then, I said I’ve just seen something I can’t believe I don’t understand, and I described the scene to him,” he explained.
What You Should Know
Wole Soyinka’s comments stem from his shock at witnessing an unusually large security detail attached to Seyi Tinubu, which he believes sends the wrong signal about Nigeria’s governance priorities.
His account suggests a security operation far beyond standard protocol and raises questions about resource allocation, public accountability and the use of state power for personal protection. Soyinka’s decision to immediately escalate the matter to the National Security Adviser illustrates his deep concern about what he considers an unnecessary and excessive show of force.
His remarks highlight a broader conversation on privilege, governance and public perception in Nigeria.
