Nigeria is a country where news moves fast, but sometimes one statement becomes louder than everything else. That is exactly what happened when Prof. Wole Soyinka, one of Africa’s most respected voices, raised a simple but powerful observation about the level of security surrounding Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Soyinka didn’t insult anyone.
He didn’t attack the presidency.
He simply described what he saw and Nigeria caught fire immediately.
In his words, the number of heavily armed officers around Seyi Tinubu shocked him. From his description, the escort looked more like a combat-ready mission than a routine protection detail for a private citizen.
And just like that, the conversation exploded.
This is not about politics.
This is not about tribes.
This is not about taking sides.
It is about one thing: security priorities in Nigeria.
What Exactly Did Soyinka Question?
He questioned why a private individual someone not holding public office would move with a level of protection that many elected officials do not receive.
He wondered:
Why is Seyi Tinubu surrounded by such a large and heavily equipped team?
Why are these resources not deployed to communities battling insecurity daily?
Why do kidnappers still operate freely, while private escorts look like military battalions?
These are questions millions of Nigerians quietly ask but don’t have the boldness to say out loud.
Why Soyinka’s Words Hit the Country Like Thunder
1. He is not just anybody
This is a Nobel Prize winner.
A global cultural icon.
A man who has challenged dictators, resisted injustice, and defended democracy for over 60 years.
He is widely respected because he speaks without fear even when it is uncomfortable for those in power.
2. The timing was sensitive
Nigeria is dealing with:
- school kidnappings
- community attacks
- rising insecurity
- fear in rural and urban areas
- limited police manpower and
- overstretched security agencies
So when Soyinka points out the distribution of security resources, the nation listens carefully.
3. Nigerians already feel the imbalance
People see convoys of 20+ vehicles escorting individuals who are not in government.
People see powerful families with intense protection while ordinary citizens rely on luck and prayers.
Soyinka simply voiced what many Nigerians have been thinking silently.
COULD SOYINKA FACE BACKLASH?
Not legal trouble.
Not political threats.
But the usual Nigerian style of backlash:
1. Misinterpretation Online
People may twist his words to create unnecessary drama.
Some may accuse him of attacking the president, even though he did not.
2. Political twisting
Different groups may try to use his statement to push their agenda.
Some will claim he supports their side; others will try to drag him.
3. Attempts to silence the message
When a truth is uncomfortable, some people focus on the messenger instead of the message.
But Soyinka is not new to criticism he has survived far worse under military rule.
Let’s Face the Truth Security Has Become a Privilege in Nigeria
This is the core of the conversation.
In Nigeria today:
If you are powerful → You have protection.
If you are connected → You have a convoy.
If you are ordinary → You depend on God and hope.
Soyinka is not fighting Seyi Tinubu.
He is not attacking the presidency.
He is not stirring political trouble.
He is asking a question that every honest Nigerian should consider!!!
Who deserves the highest level of security the few or the many?
Let’s remove emotion.
Let’s remove politics.
Let’s remove tribe.
The real issue is priority.
Nigeria has limited security manpower.
- Communities are under attack.
- School children are being kidnapped.
- Villages are not protected.
- Police units lack equipment.
- Rural areas are forgotten.
Yet we still see heavy convoys surrounding individuals who are not part of government.
Note this is not an insult it is a national question.
WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS
Nigeria is at a turning point.
People want;
- Fairness
- Transparency
- Equal protection
- Justice
- Accountability
What Soyinka said is bigger than Seyi Tinubu.
It is bigger than Tinubu’s administration.
It is bigger than politics.
- His statement challenges Nigeria to rethink.
- How do we use our security resources?
- Who gets priority?
- Why do some people enjoy extreme protection while communities remain vulnerable?
These questions will not disappear.
They will grow.
Because Nigerians are awake.
People are paying attention.
The youth are asking hard questions.
And the nation is tired of inequality.
Conclusion
Wole Soyinka didn’t insult anyone.
He didn’t threaten anyone.
He didn’t provoke chaos.
He simply said what he saw and the truth hit the nation like wildfire.
HIS MESSAGE IS CLEAR.
You cannot fix insecurity when security is treated like a private luxury instead of a national necessity.
Whether people agree with him or not, his words have already started a conversation that Nigeria truly needs.
And sometimes, one voice is enough to shake a system.
