Nigerian Government Bans Eedris Abdulkareem’s Protest Song ‘Tell Your Papa’

The Nigerian government has officially banned the new protest song “Tell Your Papa” by veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem, citing its content as offensive and inappropriate for public broadcast.

The announcement came on Thursday via a memo from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). Signed by Susan Obi, Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, the directive instructs all radio and TV stations in Nigeria to stop airing the song.

According to the memo:

“The National Broadcasting Commission has identified ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem as content deemed inappropriate for broadcast following 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 track, released earlier this week, has gone viral on social media for its bold critique of Nigeria’s current leadership and economic situation. It directly addresses Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, urging him to speak to his father about the suffering of Nigerians.

The ban has sparked mixed reactions online, with many defending the artist’s right to free expression while others debate the limits of political commentary in music.