Like Father, Like Son: Seyi Tinubu Builds Pan-Nigeria Bridges

By Keem Abdul

The fruit, it is said, does not fall far from the tree. In the almost two years since his father took office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his eldest son, the businessman and social entrepreneur Oluwaseyi Afolabi Tinubu, has taken on himself to do something the President established a reputation for doing before and since his foray into active politics in the early 1990s: demonstrated a clear and unwavering commitment towards national unity on the one hand, and community development, youth empowerment and social welfare on the other.

In doing so, Seyi (as he prefers to be called) building bridges of friendship and mutual understanding across the various divides in Nigeria, on both a national and sub-national level. His famous last name, his understated demeanour, and the ease with which he interacts with people of various background, have been among his assets in this endeavour.

A flurry of activities in recent days underscores this commitment. Seyi has, for example, leveraged the Islamic holy month of Ramadan (with its sublime moral/social underpinnings, namely, its call for nobility of character, charity and goodwill towards all) to demonstrate his passion for the things he cares about. Last Monday, as the 2025 Ramadan fast got underway, he joined young people and political leaders in the ancient city of Kano to break his third Ramadan, and took part in prayers and religious observances in various parts of the city, including the Al-Furqan Mosque and the Amani Event Centre. He also marked the occasion with a special Iftaar (breaking of the fast) and the launch of a Feeding Programme for the underprivileged, which is expected to provide essential meals to thousands of fasting people in Kano, as part of the larger aims of his Renewed Hope for Youth Engagement (RHYE) initiative, aimed at supporting vulnerable groups, including physically challenged persons. As the Programme’s name implies, it aligns with the vision of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Before the breaking of the fast, Mr. Tinubu paid courtesy visits to a number of influential persons in Kano State – among them the elder statesman and renowned business magnate, Aminu Dantata; the Governor of state, Abba Yusuf; and others. In a display of political magnanimity and large-heartedness, Tinubu (whose father is, of course, the national leader and arrowhead of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC) held public engagements which brought together persons of various partisan persuasions in the state – including family members of former Governors Abdullahi Ganduje and Ibrahim Shekarau (two political gladiators who have not seen eye to eye over the years) – as well as notable members of the APC, the NNPP, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and others.

Visiting Kaduna the next day (Tuesday), Seyi, accompanied by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, paid courtesy visits to the immediate past President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, the controversial Islamic cleric, Mufti Sheik Abubakar Mahmud Gumi and the Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, as well as the Emir of Zazzau, before sharing Iftaar meals to the Muslim faithful at the Sultan Bello Mosque in the city.

During these engagements, the President’s son hammered home the vital importance of community service and social welfare, not just during Ramadan but at all times, and reiterated his commitment to initiatives aimed at uplifting the underprivileged and fostering national unity. In fact, during his visit with Gov. Sani, Seyi made an appeal for the creation of a Ministry of Youth Development in the state – in order to better structure the engagement of the government (along with its development partners, and prospective stakeholders such as the Renewed Hope for Youth Empowerment) with vulnerable groups, especially young people, in a part of the country where the Human Development Index (HDI) is arguably among the lowest in the world. Seyi and his team were gratified by the Governor’s pledge to table his proposal before the next meeting of the state’s Executive Council. He also made a similar Iftaar visit to Minna, the Niger State.

This combination of motivations – namely, to use one’s advantages in life and public profile for the common good – has seen Seyi making substantial donations to victims of flood and other incidents in various parts of Northern Nigeria, as well as other displays of empathy with the less-privileged in society. Indeed, his Ramadan interventions received plaudits from a number of individuals and stakeholders in the places he visited. In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Auwal Ibrahim Sansani, the Tinubu Northern Forum described Mr. Tinubu’s gesture of breaking fast with respected individuals and communities as a reflection of his dedication to national harmony and his appreciation for the values and traditions of the North. The Forum also commended his engagement with the youth, calling it ‘a significant motivation’ for young people to help foster unity and progress in society.

This combination of motivations is also among the reasons for the clamour (which has been momentum since late 2024) for Mr. Seyi Tinubu to run for the Governorship of Lagos State in the 2027 elections. At nearly 40, those behind the clamour say, he ticks all the boxes to be the next Lagos governor. Though campaigns for 2027 are yet to officially begin, and there has so far been no official confirmation he will actually run for any office (let alone the Governorship of Lagos State), political groups and strategists have nevertheless been vocal in their advocacy for a Seyi Tinubu candidacy – with prominent Lagosians, including past and present office holders, throwing their weight behind the President’s son.

It was the late Princess of Wales, Diana, who described the circumstances of her birth as a privilege to be thankful for, a burden to carry with grace and determination, and an opportunity to make a difference in the world. Seyi Tinubu is clearly a privileged young man. Apart from being born into the lap of luxury, he has also had an elite education. But by dint of hard work, he is today is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Loatsad Promomedia Limited, a leading digital and out-of-home advertising company based in Lagos. After finishing from the Nigerian Law School, upon which he was called to the Bar, he chose the boardroom instead. Along with the likes of Adenrele Olusoga, a childhood friend, he tested out many business initiatives in his early forays in business (some of which never got off the ground, but these setbacks opened his eyes to the possibilities of the digital space).

Seyi’s love for innovation eventually fueled his interest in digital advertising, which led to the birth of Loatsad Promomedia, a company that operates on both the digital and outdoor advertising platforms. Along with the aforementioned Olusoga, Seyi’s then-fiancée (and now, wife) Layal, and others, he built a firm that has, in a short period of time, carved a niche for itself and made a significant impact on the industry – with footprints in such innovative media and communications solutions as Truecaller and Snapchat, etc. The company’s collaborations with globally recognized platforms such as the Dutch Internet-based computer file transfer service company, WeTransfer, the mobile advertising company Admaxim, the leading global payments processing company Rocketfuel, and the mobile advertising platform Airpush, have helped Loatsad Promomedia to deliver effective digital advertising solutions to a wide variety of clients in Nigeria and beyond.

Aside from his business ventures, Tinubu is also involved in philanthropy. He is the founder of the Noella Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports underprivileged children in Nigeria by providing educational scholarships, healthcare, and other basic needs.
Seyi’s supporters say it is precisely this combination of hard work, a desire to downplay one’s background of wealth and privilege (without failing to leverage its enormous advantages), a hunger for success on one’s own terms, a love for innovation, and a genuine quest to improve the lot of one’s fellowmen and women (not just through occasional acts of charity, but also through a structured and sustainable programme of relief and empowerment) that makes him such a powerful prospect for the Governorship of Nigeria’s largest sub-national economy.

Again, there is as yet no indication that the President’s son will take the plunge and declare his desire to occupy Government House, Alausa, Ikeja – come May 29, 2027. But the omens are good, as far as progressive forces in Lagos State (especially young people eager to see one of their own at the top of the political ladder), and those eager to see a Good Samaritan (one who combines a good heart with deep pockets) in power, are concerned.

The question then is: If the attention and endorsements Oluwaseyi Afolabi Tinubu is getting at this juncture in the life of the state and the nation as a whole is really the call of destiny, who is he – true son of his father – to refuse its summons?

• Keem Abdul, publisher and writer, hails from Lagos. He can be reached via +2348038795377 or Akeemabdul2023@gmail.com