Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem has clarified that his new song, ‘Tell Your Papa’, was not intended as a personal attack on President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi.
Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Rubbin’ Minds’ on Sunday, Abdulkareem explained that the track was a direct response to a comment recently made by Seyi.
He stated that the song was inspired by Seyi’s remark during a visit to Yola, Adamawa State, in March, in which he described his father as ‘the best president Nigeria has ever had.’
According to Abdulkareem, the song merely urges Seyi to speak with his father about Nigeria’s pressing economic and security challenges, rather than aiming to stir controversy.
“Nigerian youths are just asking for basics: electricity, security, enabling economic environment, job creation, and not palliatives,” Abdulkareem said.
“So, why should I attack Seyi Tinubu personally? If Seyi Tinubu never talked about it, I wouldn’t have recorded a song like that. So, I am replying to the video that he made. If he had kept quiet, I wouldn’t have said anything. I am inspired by Seyi Tinubu to record that song,” he added.
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The rapper’s latest release swiftly came under fire from the authorities.
In response, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) promptly banned the song from being aired on radio and television, citing it as inappropriate content.
The NBC’s decision has ignited public outrage, with many Nigerians — including Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka — condemning the move.
Soyinka described the ban as a disturbing return to censorship and a violation of free speech.
During the programme, Abdulkareem also reflected on the enduring relevance of his iconic 2001 protest anthem ‘Nigeria Jagajaga’, expressing disappointment that, more than two decades on, the issues highlighted in the song remain unresolved.
His remarks, alongside the controversy surrounding ‘Tell Your Papa’, have reignited national conversations around freedom of expression, government accountability, and the role of artists in Nigeria’s sociopolitical landscape.
