Nigerian singer Eedris Abdulkareem has reacted after the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) banned his new song, “Tell Your Papa,” from being aired on both radio and television stations across Nigeria.
The NBC issued the directive, citing that the song’s content violated the broadcasting standards as set out in Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, which emphasizes responsible broadcasting.
The decision came in a memo signed by Susan Obi, the Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring at the NBC.
The commission stated that while the song had gained popularity on social media, its lyrical content was deemed inappropriate for public broadcast.
The ban was put in place to uphold the integrity of broadcasting standards, ensuring that only responsible content is aired on the country’s media platforms.
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In the song, which was released earlier this week, Abdulkareem called on Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, to address his father about the growing socio-economic challenges in the country.
The lyrics expressed the frustration of ordinary Nigerians who are suffering due to insecurity, high levels of poverty, and a lack of basic infrastructure.
Abdulkareem urged Seyi to speak up, saying, “Seyi, tell your papa country hard. Tell your papa people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga.”
The song also criticized the elite’s detachment from the reality of Nigerians, noting that while they fly in private jets, they are disconnected from the daily struggles of the people.
Despite the ban, Eedris Abdulkareem has not remained silent.
Taking to Instagram, the rapper voiced his displeasure with the government’s decision, accusing President Tinubu’s administration of being “insensitive” and “vindictive” in handling dissent.
He argued that the government views constructive criticism as a crime and that the current administration has failed to improve the country’s situation.
Abdulkareem went on to say that under two years of Tinubu’s presidency, the country’s progress has been dismal, a fact that is evident to all Nigerians, regardless of their tribe, religion, or political affiliation.
Abdulkareem also compared the current situation to an incident 21 years ago when his song “Jaga Jaga” was banned by the Obasanjo administration.
He suggested that the ban on his songs is a reflection of the government’s tendency to silence opposing voices rather than addressing the issues raised by the public.
The veteran rapper made it clear that such actions will not stop him from using his platform to voice the concerns of the people.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s lack of impactful progress over the years is partly due to the government’s unwillingness to listen to the people and take action.
