Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over Nigeria’s military involvement in the recently aborted coup attempt in the Republic of Benin.
Speaking in Lagos on Monday at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, WSCIJ, Awards, the literary icon warned that such interventions carry grave implications for regional stability and Nigeria’s internal security.
In a brief but pointed address, Soyinka reflected on governance lapses, human rights concerns, rising insecurity, and the growing threat of misinformation in the digital age.
Soyinka criticised what he described as “another needless military entanglement next door,” insisting that the Benin incident should serve as a reminder for Nigeria to strengthen its democratic institutions rather than deploy force as a first response.
He stressed that political unrest in any neighbouring country inevitably spills into Nigeria.
According to him, “What happens in Benin inevitably affects us. Instability anywhere in the region echoes within our own sense of security.”
The Nobel laureate also condemned the widespread demolitions carried out in Lagos in recent months, faulting the state’s handling of displaced residents.
He said he had received photos and testimonies from victims left homeless, noting that forced evictions had become disturbingly common.
While acknowledging the need to remove unsafe structures, Soyinka insisted that demolition exercises must follow humane procedures with proper consideration for vulnerable citizens.
“We must not strip away the humanity of the people affected,” he said, emphasising that development must never be pursued without compassion.
Soyinka also raised alarm over what he described as an excessively large security detail assigned to a young individual close to the Presidency, an entourage he said was large enough “to take over a small country.”
He questioned why a non-government official would be surrounded by such an intimidating formation, describing it as a troubling misuse of state security resources.
“Children must understand their place. They are not elected leaders and must not inherit the instruments of state power simply by proximity,” he said.
Turning to the media, Soyinka commended journalists for their resilience but urged stronger editorial discipline in an era polluted by misinformation.
He warned that global instability could one day be sparked by unchecked online falsehoods.
He added that the nation’s best defence against chaos is responsible journalism rooted in truth, verification, and professional integrity.
