Activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticised a colloquium in honour of Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, drawing support from some social media users and fierce pushback from others.
Sowore said he watched the “Seyi Tinubu Colloquium” livestreamed on major television stations. In a post on X, he said the event made him wonder “how deeply the culture of sycophancy has eaten into Nigerian society.” The post included a link to a video of the event.
Sowore compared the event to the era of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. He recalled that Aso Rock hosted the wedding of one of Yar’Adua’s daughters to a sitting governor, and that another governor also married into the presidential family.
He said those unions drew enormous political attention, but that the political spectacle, and the marriages themselves, faded after Yar’Adua’s death.
He called the colloquium “another manifestation of this culture of power worship.” He asked what Seyi Tinubu (@STinubu) had contributed to Nigerian society to deserve such an event, attended by “prominent personalities” and broadcast widely. “What extraordinary public service, intellectual contribution, or national achievement is being celebrated?” he asked, adding: “Is this about merit, or simply about being the son of a sitting president?”
Sowore said that with millions of Nigerians facing hunger, unemployment, insecurity and economic hardship, which he blamed on President Bola Tinubu (@officialABAT), the country should instead be “having national shaming of the Tinubu regime.”
Several users backed Sowore’s argument. Francis Nkanta (@francis_nkanta) said those who attended were “patronage seekers” and that the event had shaken his expectations of educated people.
He also asked what Seyi Tinubu’s contribution to Nigeria is. Apostle Arinze Nonso (@ApostleNonso) agreed it was not about merit, saying Seyi’s only national achievement was creating the City Boy Movement, which he described as an association of self-interested economic groups.
He said Seyi attracted attention because he is a sitting president’s son.
iPledge2Nigeria (@pledge2nigeria) said supporters of the event would never tolerate the sons of Goodluck Jonathan, Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar “moving around like Prince William.”
The user warned of the precedent being set, saying Buhari had been allowed to get away with “many firsts” and that President Tinubu “has taken it to the next level.”
The user added that the blame was not for Yoruba people alone. Habex (@iam_mrhabex) said politicians use “mago mago” tactics to bring their children into politics, and warned Nigerians that the children would eventually govern them using their fathers’ “failed templates.”
Rob (@RobforArsenal) said the “from reforms to prosperity” agenda was outdated, claimed the three years so far had “nothing to show for it,” and said, “Tinubu must go.”
GENTRAVELSTAR (@gentravelstar) said Nigeria is under a dictatorship in which the president’s family will be worshipped by corrupt individuals.
Waziri Democratic Movement (@MovementWaziri) called the event “very embarrassing” and asked where First Lady Oluremi Tinubu gets the billions she is distributing to states’ women and other groups, warning that only debt would be left once “these people” are done with Nigeria.
JMG_GRAPHER (@JMG_247) commented simply: “They own the media now!” HRH. King Emeka (@justkency) called Seyi a fool, arguing that grifters and event planners target anyone known for giving gifts and cash. He predicted they would “swiftly move away” from him after 2031.
Several users rejected Sowore’s criticism, many targeting the activist personally. Omobobola (@omobobola217) said Sowore was better at criticising than leading and pointed out that people around him also practise sycophancy.
The user said that while they like him, the “unprovoked critics and shades” would not get him anywhere, and called him an “everyday yapper.”
Oladele Peters (@oladele_peters) said that if Sowore organised a colloquium and invited the president, the president would send a “high-powered delegation” even if he did not attend himself.
I Believe in Karma (@CodeWiizard) accused Sowore of jealousy, saying he had never reached Seyi’s level after a lifetime of activism with no “meaningful achievement.”
The user said they stopped believing in him the day he put himself on the ballot. Tubper (@Taio3ze) asked why the event gave Sowore “a headache” and suggested he organise his own and see who shows up, “perhaps your thugs.”
The user accused him of attacking the government, police and judiciary and then expecting the same calibre of guests, and urged him to build his own relevance.
Josy (@djdibal01) and Sheyi, MB (@sheyimb) both pointed to Sowore’s own children living in the United States. Josy said Seyi, as the first son, at least lives in Nigeria, and challenged Sowore to bring his son home to help him campaign.
Sheyi said Sowore had no standing to question Seyi’s choice to live in Nigeria and support his father until he brought his own family back.
Bartholomew (@SergBartholomew) told Sowore to organise his own colloquium and stop his “ranting,” then argued that his son’s US school fees could pay for thousands of children’s schooling in his state. He called him a “hypocrite” and a “noise maker.”
