Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation has banned a new protest song by veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem from radio and television, stirring conversations about freedom of expression and the country’s deepening economic crisis.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), in a memo dated April 9, 2025, officially prohibited the broadcast of Abdulkareem’s track “Tell Your Papa,” labelling it as “objectionable” and classified as “Not To Be Broadcast (NTTB)”. The song, which directly addresses President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, urges him to confront his father about the harsh realities everyday Nigerians are facing.
The memo, signed by Susan Obi, NBC’s Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, invoked Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. The rule bars media from airing content considered offensive, inappropriate, or against public decency.
While “Tell Your Papa” has been spreading rapidly across social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), NBC’s directive warns media houses to avoid playing the track to “maintain responsible broadcasting standards.”
At the heart of the controversy is the song’s raw message. This is a stark reflection of the growing frustration among Nigerians. In it, Abdulkareem raps lines like, “Seyi, tell your papa country hard. Tell your papa people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga.”
The song was widely interpreted as a reaction to Seyi Tinubu’s recent statement in Adamawa State, where he praised his father as “the greatest president in Nigeria’s history.” Abdulkareem’s lyrics sharply contradict that claim, painting a portrait of suffering, hunger, and broken promises instead.
Reacting to the ban, Eedris Abdulkareem took to Instagram with a fiery response targeted at President Tinubu. He is “going on record as one of the most insensitive, vindictive and grossly maleficent administrations ever to preside over the affairs of Nigeria.”
He compared the current censorship to the 2004 ban of his iconic protest song “Jaga Jaga” during President Obasanjo’s administration. For many, the ban is another example of the government sidestepping the real issues.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: the song may be banned from traditional airwaves, but its message has already made its way into the hearts and frustrations of many Nigerians.
