The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has placed a ban on veteran Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s new protest song, ‘Tell Your Papa‘, prohibiting its airplay across all broadcast platforms in the country.
In an official memo dated April 9, 2025, and signed by Susan Obi, the Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, the commission cited Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, describing the song as “objectionable” and “inappropriate for broadcast.” The directive classifies ‘Tell Your Papa‘ as “Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB),” urging stations nationwide to avoid airing the politically charged track.
The record has stirred online reactions for its direct address to Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu. Abdulkareem, known for his unflinching social commentary, uses the track to challenge the younger Tinubu to acknowledge the economic hardship and insecurity plaguing the nation and pass that message directly to his father.
“Seyi, tell your papa country hard. Tell your papa people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass Jaga Jaga,” the rapper delivers in a hard-hitting verse that reflects nationwide frustrations. The song appears to respond to Seyi Tinubu’s recent comments in Adamawa State, where he described his father as “the greatest president in Nigeria’s history.”
In response to NBC’s ban, Eedris Abdulkareem took to Instagram to criticize the move, describing it as an assault on free expression and yet another example of how constructive criticism is punished in Nigeria. He condemned the Tinubu-led administration as “insensitive, vindictive, and grossly maleficent”, accusing it of underperforming across all sectors.
He further expressed dismay at supporters of the current regime, calling them “happy slaves grovelling for crumbs from their paymaster’s table”.
Reflecting on the past, Abdulkareem noted that this isn’t the first time his music has been targeted by authorities. His iconic 2004 protest anthem ‘Jaga Jaga‘ was similarly banned under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, a decision that ironically helped cement the song’s place in Nigeria’s protest music canon.
Despite the ban, ‘Tell Your Papa‘ continues to circulate widely online, with many listeners praising its lyrical boldness and unapologetic stance. As of now, neither Seyi Tinubu nor the presidency has issued any formal response to the song or the artist’s remarks.
Once again, Eedris Abdulkareem is positioning himself not just as a veteran voice in Nigerian music but as an enduring symbol of artistic defiance.
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