The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has banned the protest song “Tell Your Papa” by veteran Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem from airing on radio and television stations across the country.
In a memo dated April 9, 2025, and signed by the Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Susan Obi, the NBC declared the song as “Not To Be Broadcast” (NTBB) under Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, citing its “objectionable nature.”
“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,” the memo stated. “It is therefore classified as Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB), as it violates Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.”
The said section restricts Nigerian media from airing content considered offensive, indecent, or against public morality. NBC advised broadcast stations nationwide to exercise discretion and refrain from playing the song to uphold responsible broadcasting standards.
The controversial track has stirred strong reactions online after Eedris called out Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, for publicly praising his father despite Nigeria’s ongoing economic hardship.
Eedris Abdulkareem, who is no stranger to political activism through music, described the song as “a voice for the voiceless.” His previous hit “Jaga Jaga”, which criticized poor governance, was similarly banned in 2004 under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
As of the time of filing this report, Eedris has yet to issue an official response to the NBC’s latest action.
