“They Offered Me N200 Million to Keep Quiet” – Eedris Abdulkareem Alleges Amid NBC Ban on ‘Tell Your Papa’

Nigerian rapper and activist Eedris Abdulkareem has claimed he was offered a N200 million bribe by a man who identified himself as a senator. The allegation comes in the wake of the National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) recent ban on Abdulkareem’s protest song Tell Your Papa, which criticizes political leadership and economic hardship in the country.

In a video circulating online, Abdulkareem stated that the caller, who initially described himself as a “honourable” before later claiming to be a senator, said he had attended a meeting with Seyi Tinubu—son of President Bola Tinubu—and other government officials. According to Abdulkareem, the caller claimed that a bribe would soon be offered to silence him, while also suggesting the existence of a faction willing to support him “underground.”

“He told me, ‘They are going to call you and bribe you, don’t listen to them, we are going to be sponsoring you underground.’ I asked him, ‘who told you I need anything?’” Abdulkareem said, recalling the interaction. He added that he immediately rejected the offer and accused the caller of attempting to manipulate and discredit him. “So I asked him, the video I shot, was it you who sponsored me underground? You guys should go and rest somewhere, I am not interested. Thieves, may God punish all of you.”

The NBC’s decision to ban Tell Your Papa on April 10 has drawn significant backlash from civil society groups and industry stakeholders. The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) condemned the move, warning that such censorship could ultimately increase the song’s impact and visibility. “It only serves to amplify the song’s reach and relevance in light of the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigerians,” PMAN said in a statement.

Similarly, the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) criticized the ban, labeling it a “blatant abuse of regulatory power.” The group accused NBC of acting more like a propaganda arm than an independent regulatory body. “The NBC has completely confused its role as a supposedly independent media regulatory body with that of a propaganda agency charged with shielding the government from criticism or embarrassment,” said Ayomide Eweje, a programme officer at MRA.

As debate around censorship and artistic freedom intensifies, Abdulkareem’s refusal to compromise and his unwavering message in Tell Your Papa have reignited conversations about the role of protest music in Nigeria’s democratic space.