Eedris Abdulkareem has clarified that his controversial new track Tell Your Papa was not an attack on Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but a direct response to what he described as an ill-advised comment made by the president’s son. Speaking during a live interview on Rubbin’ Minds on Channels Television on April 13, 2025, the veteran rapper said he was inspired by Seyi’s public praise of his father to pen the politically charged lyrics.
Seyi Tinubu, during an event in Yola on March 21, 2025, had declared that his father was “Nigeria’s best-ever president,” a statement that triggered backlash from several quarters amidst the country’s spiraling inflation, high unemployment, and worsening security crisis. Eedris insists that had Seyi remained silent, the song wouldn’t exist. “I didn’t just wake up and attack anybody’s son. I simply replied a video that insulted Nigerians’ intelligence,” he said.
The song, which quickly gained traction online after its release on March 29, 2025, calls out the Tinubu-led government for its failure to address the basic needs of citizens. Abdulkareem pointed to recurring issues such as power failure, insecurity, and the rising cost of living as proof that young Nigerians have every right to demand more from their leaders without being mocked or silenced.
Shortly after its release, Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) banned the song from airplay, calling it “inappropriate for broadcast.” This action drew fierce criticism, with many accusing the government of reviving military-era censorship tactics. Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, in a statement on April 6, 2025, condemned the move, describing it as a “draconian step backwards” and a clear violation of freedom of expression.
Despite the ban, Tell Your Papa has amassed over 4 million streams across major platforms, and clips from the song continue to circulate on social media, especially among younger demographics disillusioned with government policies. Eedris says the response from the youth is a sign that music remains a vital tool for resistance and truth-telling in Nigeria.
He also drew a sharp parallel between his latest effort and his 2001 classic Jaga Jaga, noting that two decades on, not much has changed in the country. “It’s painful that 24 years after Nigeria Jaga Jaga, we’re still here. This is not just music. It’s a mirror of our national failure,” he said during the interview.
While the government attempts to silence dissenting voices, the controversy surrounding Tell Your Papa has only amplified its message. As Nigerians continue to debate governance, free speech, and the role of art in activism, Abdulkareem’s voice remains as piercing and defiant as ever—unchanged by time or intimidation.
