The Nigerian authorities have banned broadcasters from playing the song Tell Your Papa by Eedris Abdulkareem, which criticises the country’s leader.
Artist Eedris Abdulkareem’s lyrics slam President Bola Tinubu and urge his influential son, Seyi, to let his father know “people are dying” through hardship and insecurity and there is “hunger” in the country.
In a letter to TV and radio stations, the National Broadcast Commission (NBC), which issues licenses and regulates the industry, ordered the track not to be played, saying it violates the country’s broadcast code.
The NBC said it considered Tell Your Papa’s content to be “inappropriate” and “objectionable” adding that it falls short of public decency standards.
The commission cited Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, which prohibits materials deemed offensive or against public decency.
The memo titled “Restriction on broadcasting ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem” reads, “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.”
Released earlier in the week, the song has gained a lot of attention on social media in Nigeria and has sparked debate regarding the economic and security situation in the country.
On the track, in a mix of English, Yoruba and Pidgin, Abdulkareem tells Tinubu’s son that his father “is not trying” and that he has made “too many empty promises”.
When it comes to insecurity, the artist urges Seyi to travel by road, instead of private jet, to experience the dangers faced by ordinary Nigerians.
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However, this ban has been greatly criticized by differnt origizations and Nigerians at large.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government and the National Broadcasting Commission to reverse the ban on the protest song, “Tell Your Papa.”
The organisation made this known in a post via its official X handle on Thursday, hours after NBC placed a ban on the protest song, which is critical of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
SERAP describ
ed the ban as unlawful and a violation of the Nigerian artist’s right to freedom of expression.
The organisation, therefore, warned of impending legal action if the directive is not rescinded within the stipulated timeframe.
The post reads, “The Tinubu administration must immediately reverse the unlawful ban by the National Broadcasting Commission stopping Nigerian radio and TV stations from airing Eedris Abdulkareem’s new single.
“We’ll see in court if the ban is not reversed within 48 hours.”
“This clampdown on artistic freedom is an appalling reminder that artists are at the risk of being silenced. Nothing can justify suffocating creativity,” the statement read.
Furthermore, in a press statement issued on Thursday, Amnesty International described the ban as “unlawful, arbitrary, and deeply worrying,” asserting that it reflected a dangerous trend of censorship and intolerance by the authorities under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Amnesty International said the move lacked any legal or moral justification.
“Categorizing the song as ‘Not To Be Broadcast’ for solely being critical of the government and people in power is an abuse of power and is unacceptable,” Amnesty said, noting that the action was “entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the right to access information and media freedom in Nigeria.”
“The National Broadcasting Commission’s blatant ban of broadcasting Eedris Abdulkareem’s song Tell Your Papa is a clear violation of freedom of expression, which includes the right to obtain information,” the organisation said.
“The arbitrary and unlawful ban by the NBC would have a disproportionate and chilling effect on the work of radio and television stations in Nigeria.
“It is not too late for President Bola Tinubu’s government to withdraw the ban which will have the sad repercussion of promoting censorship and generating a new wave of fear of repression,” the statement concluded.
Abdulkareem, who is known for his socially conscious and politically conscious music, has rejected the ban placed on his sing. The rapper and singer has always used his songs to comment on governance, corruption, and social justice.