A DIRECTIVE by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) banning the airplay of Eedris Abdulkareem’s latest politically charged song, ‘Tell Your Papa,’ has sparked mixed reactions and defiance on social media, as Nigerians continue to amplify the song in solidarity.
In a letter dated April 9, 2025, and signed by the coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Susan Obi, the NBC ordered all broadcast stations to desist from airing the song, citing its ‘objectionable content’ and claiming it violated Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The commission classified the song as ‘Not To Be Broadcast’ (NTBB).
“The National Broadcasting Commission has identified the song ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem, currently trending on social media, as content deemed inappropriate for broadcast due to its objectionable nature.
“It is therefore classified as Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB), as it violates Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“The commission requests that your station exercises discretion and refrains from airing this song to maintain responsible broadcasting standards,” the statement posted on Abdulkareem’s Instagram page reads.
However, the ICIR gathered that the ban has instead fueled online promotion, making Tell Your Papa a trending topic across social media, particularly on X and TikTok.
Clips of the track, which contain pointed social commentary, criticise President Bola Tinubu and his son, Seyi Tinubu, over the economic hardships Nigerians are going through.
In the song, Abdulkareem directly addresses President Tinubu’s son, Seyi, calling on him to relay the plight of the average Nigerian to his father.
Part of the lyrics said:“ Seyi, tell your papa country hard.
“Tell your papa people dey dying.
“Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga.
“Seyi, how far? I swear your papa no try. Too many empty promises.
“On behalf of Nigerians, take our message to him.
“Kidnappers dey kill Nigerians.”
The veteran rapper also highlighted insecurity and inequality in access to public infrastructure: ⁷“Seyi, try travel by road without your security make you feel the pains of fellow Nigerians.
“You dey fly private jets, insecurity no be your problem.”
Reacting on social media, many Nigerians, including popular influencers, described the NBC’s restriction as an attempt to stifle freedom of expression and suppress dissenting voices.
They also noted that the song is a reflection of current realities in Nigeria.
In a now viral short video, a social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VaryDarkMan, said ‘First of all, we don’t even need radio, we are going to take it all over social media. “Dear Eedris Abdulkareem, we are going to shoot another video, this time we will sponsor it, and I go dey inside the video, we go find somebody wey resemble Bola Ahmed Tinubu since we no fit get the real president. We go dance, inside that video, Tell your papa part two, then we will come highlight other problems.”
Another X user, @Ogundamisi, said that Abdlkareem should thank the Commission for the ban on his song, as it gave him nationwide promotion.
“Eedris Abdulkareem should thank NBC. Until today, I’ve never heard the song ‘Tell your Papa’. A cry for help from Eedris Abdulkareem to Nigeria’s Vice President (Political empowerment), to deliver to his dad, President Tinubu, on the current state of Nigeria,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, on TikTok, users are using snippets of the song in satirical videos mocking Nigeria’s economic hardship, perceived as government failures.
Others have used it as the soundtrack to promote their handles and also to spread the reach of the song.
The ICIR reports that ‘Tell Your Papa’ followed in the tradition of Abdulkareem’s 2004 hit Jaga Jaga, which was banned from radio and Television stations during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration for its criticism of governance and social decay, but it continued to play in the street and nightclubs. The song also annoyed Obasanjo, and he reportedly cursed Abdulkareem.
In 2012, Obasanjo would further react to the song, attacking Abdulkareem again for releasing that song years back.
Speaking at an event organised by Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI) in 2012, Obasanjo said, “one of the worst problems Nigeria is facing is disbelief. Nigerians no longer believe in themselves, nor do they believe in their country.
“That takes me back to that song ‘jaga jaga’. How could a sane man dare to call his country jaga jaga? It is the height of blasphemy.”
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M