Soyinka.webp
The Digest:

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has disclosed that he personally reported the heavily armed security escort of President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi, to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, describing the deployment as damaging to Nigeria’s security architecture. Speaking in Lagos, Soyinka said he tracked down Ribadu to express his disbelief after witnessing what he called a “battalion” guarding the young man at an Ikoyi hotel.

Key Points:
  • Soyinka reported Seyi Tinubu’s security detail to NSA Nuhu Ribadu after witnessing it in Lagos
  • He described the scene as an “army” accompanying the president’s son, with roads cleared for his movement
  • Soyinka stated he conducted “investigative journalism” to confirm the regular nature of the deployment
  • He warned that such heavy security for one individual “suffers some injury” to national security
  • The playwright emphasized that “children should know their place” and are not heads of state
  • The remarks follow his earlier sarcastic suggestion that Seyi’s detail could quell an insurrection
  • Soyinka’s intervention highlights growing public scrutiny of VIP security culture amid national insecurity
Soyinka’s action transcends criticism; it is a civic alarm, rooted in the fear that privilege, when left unchecked, becomes a symptom of systemic decay.

Sources: Daily Post Nigeria, Daily Trust