Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka unleashed his trademark wit and incisive critique during a high-profile awards ceremony, lambasting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s deployment of the Nigerian Air Force to neighboring Benin Republic while mocking the “overkill” security entourage surrounding the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu. In a viral moment that has ignited fierce online discourse, Soyinka quipped that the heavily armed detail protecting Seyi—estimated at over 15 personnel—possessed enough firepower to single-handedly “quell the rebellion” in Benin, rendering the military intervention unnecessary.
The 90-year-old literary icon and social activist made the remarks on December 9, 2025, while serving as the keynote speaker and award presenter at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Awards, held at the expansive Eko Hotel & Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. The event, themed “Investigative Journalism in the Age of Disinformation,” honored exemplary journalists and poets, including a lifetime achievement award to renowned activist Odia Ofeimun. Amid applause from an audience of media professionals, dignitaries, and fellow laureates, Soyinka pivoted from tributes to a pointed commentary on national security priorities, drawing from a recent personal encounter that left him “astonished.”
Soyinka recounted spotting Seyi Tinubu at a luxury hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, where the young entrepreneur was flanked by what he described as a “SWAT team” of heavily armed guards—tactical vests, assault rifles, and all—forming a convoy that could “take over a small neighboring country like Benin.” Mistaking the group for a film crew at first, Soyinka later verified the details and, in disbelief, contacted National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu to lodge a complaint. “I was so astonished that I started looking for the NSA,” he shared, his voice laced with incredulity. “Nigeria is not the first country to have a head of state with family. Children should know their place. Let’s not overdo things.”
Transitioning to the recent foiled coup attempt in Benin Republic on December 7, 2025—where dissident military elements sought to oust President Patrice Talon—Soyinka faulted Tinubu’s decision to dispatch fighter jets and troops under the guise of ECOWAS solidarity. “President Tinubu didn’t have to send the Air Force and Military to stop the coup in Benin; he should have sent his son, Seyi Tinubu instead,” he declared, eliciting laughter and nods from the crowd. “There’s an easier way. Next time there’s an uprising, the president should just call and say, ‘Seyi, go and quell the rebellion over there.’ That battalion of yours would handle it.”
The satirical jab underscores broader concerns about resource allocation in Nigeria, a nation grappling with internal insecurity, economic hardship, and youth unemployment, while projecting military might abroad. Benin’s coup plot, swiftly neutralized by loyalist forces with Nigerian aerial support, has been praised by some as a stabilizing move in West Africa’s volatile Sahel region. Yet Soyinka’s remarks highlight the irony: Lavish personal protections for political scions at home, while essential services for ordinary citizens remain underfunded. Seyi Tinubu, 39, founder of the Coldstone Creamery franchise in Nigeria and a vocal supporter of his father’s administration, has faced prior scrutiny for his public profile and security needs, but this is the first high-profile literary critique of such magnitude.
The video clip of Soyinka’s speech, shared by WSCIJ and attendees, exploded across social media within hours, amassing over 2.5 million views on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram by midday December 10. Hashtags #SendSeyi, #SoyinkaSpeaks, and #BeninCoup have trended nationwide, fueling polarized reactions. Supporters hailed the Nobel winner’s “fearless truth-telling,” with one X user posting: “Soyinka just roasted nepotism with elegance—legendary!” Critics, including pro-Tinubu voices, accused him of “trivializing regional security” and “personal vendetta,” with replies like: “Prof, focus on literature, not family affairs.” Prominent figures weighed in: Arise TV anchor Rufai Oseni dared the Inspector General of Police to “reduce Seyi’s security” in light of the comments, while human rights lawyer Femi Falana separately faulted the Benin intervention as “overreach.”
Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986 for his profound explorations of African identity and authoritarianism, has a storied history of confronting power—from his imprisonment during the Biafran War to recent clashes with figures like former President Muhammadu Buhari. Despite his longstanding friendship with Tinubu, forged in pro-democracy struggles against military rule in the 1990s, Soyinka has not shied away from critique, previously chiding the administration on issues like electoral reforms and free speech. “I look him in the eyes and tell him the truth,” Soyinka affirmed in the speech, reaffirming his role as an independent conscience.
The WSCIJ, founded in 2006 to promote ethical journalism, used the moment to amplify calls for accountability in governance. Executive Director Motunayo Alaka noted: “Prof. Soyinka’s words remind us that investigative journalism thrives when we question excess, wherever it appears—from borders to boardrooms.” As ECOWAS convenes an emergency summit on December 15 to address coup proliferation, Soyinka’s satire serves as a provocative lens on the optics of power: When a son’s shadow requires an army, what message does that send to the region?
Professor Soyinka remains unapologetic, concluding his address with a charge to journalists: “In this age of fakery, wield your pens like scalpels—cut through the absurd to reveal the truth.” Upcoming, he headlines the 2026 International Playwrights Festival in Abeokuta, his hometown.
“President Tinubu didn’t have to send the Air Force and Military to stop the coup in Benin, he should have sent his son, Seyi Tinubu instead.” — Prof. Wole Soyinka berates Seyi Tinubu’s use of heavy security.
— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) December 9, 2025
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