“Tinubu’s Govt Is Vindictive, Destructive, and Failing on All Fronts” – Eedris Abdulkareem Slams NBC Ban

Nigerian rapper and activist Eedris Abdulkareem has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration following the National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) decision to ban his latest song, Tell Your Papa. The NBC, in a notice dated April 9, ruled that the politically charged track violates Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and must be labelled “Not To Be Broadcast” (NTBB), effectively prohibiting its airplay on radio and television.

Reacting to the ban in a Facebook post on Thursday, Abdulkareem condemned the Tinubu government as “vindictive, insensitive, and destructive,” accusing it of failing on every front just under two years into its tenure. He stated that the administration is increasingly intolerant of dissent and criticism, saying, “It’s obvious that in Nigeria, truth and constructive criticism is always deemed as a big crime by the government.”

Abdulkareem decried the worsening cost-of-living crisis and economic hardship under the current administration, calling the results of Tinubu’s leadership “frighteningly abysmal.” He claimed Nigerians across all divides can see the reality of the nation’s decline, except for “a few happy slaves grovelling for crumps from their paymaster’s table.”

Referencing a similar experience two decades ago, Abdulkareem compared the latest ban to the censorship of his 2004 hit Jaga Jaga by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. He said the move by NBC signals a disturbing repeat of history and a broader attack on freedom of expression.

Despite the ban, Tell Your Papa has continued to circulate widely on social media, drawing attention for its bold critique of government policies and alleged insensitivity to citizens’ suffering.