"Like many age-old cultures in Nigeria, having large entourages has crept into our democracy."

BBC (from 2015):

I once met a popular 419 scammer who would not sit down in public until one of the retinue of dwarfs who accompanied him had first sat on the seat to make sure it was thoroughly rubbed clean.

...

When I invited my friend, Rick, to an event some time ago, he reminded me that, by asking him, I was automatically inviting dozens of other people.

"Are you prepared for that?" he asked.

A year previously, he had transitioned from the young man my friends and I had known since our teens, to the new traditional ruler of his community following his father's death.

Old friend or not, his new status meant it would be unbecoming to appear at my event without his throng of followers.