Veteran Nigerian rapper and singer, Eedris Abdulkareem, has cleared the air regarding the intent behind his latest track, ‘Tell Your Papa’, saying it was not a personal attack on Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu.
The musician said the track was simply a response to comments made by Seyi, who in March, during a visit to Yola, Adamawa State, declared that his father is the greatest president Nigeria has ever had.
Speaking during his appearance on Channels TV’s Rubbin’ Minds on Sunday, Abdulkareem explained that the song was meant to call on Seyi to urge his father to address the country’s pressing challenges.
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“Nigerian youths are just asking for basics: electricity, security, enabling economic environment, job creation and not palliatives,” he said.
He added that the track was inspired solely by Seyi’s remarks and not intended as a personal jab.
“So, why should I attack Seyi Tinubu personally? If Seyi Tinubu never talked about it, I wouldn’t have recorded a song like that. So, I am replying to the video that he made. If he had kept quiet, I wouldn’t have said anything. I am inspired by Seyi Tinubu to record that song,” he said.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had earlier banned the song from airing on radio and television, calling its content inappropriate—a decision that sparked outrage among many Nigerians.
On Sunday, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka also criticised the ban, describing it as a disturbing throwback to censorship and a threat to free speech.
Reflecting on his controversial 2001 track, ‘Nigeria Jagajaga’, Abdulkareem said the message still rings true today, arguing that the country hasn’t made meaningful progress.
He further explained how Seyi Tinubu’s comment was the spark behind ‘Tell Your Papa’.
“I was inspired by Seyi Tinubu to record the song. I saw a video where he was campaigning for his father and he was defending his father, saying, ‘My father is the best president, my father is the greatest president, they are coming for my father.’
“He (Seyi) repeated it like six times. But for Seyi, I differ because it looks more perfect when you are silent than when you speak. I would advise Seyi to hand over the microphone to the MC next time. He lacks the charisma and purpose to express himself, telling the truth about the true economic situation in Nigeria under his father’s government,” Abdulkareem said.
He stressed that while Tinubu may be a great father to his son, the reality for many young Nigerians remains grim.
“He (Tinubu) has empowered Seyi as his son but Nigerian youths don’t have jobs, talkless of food to eat. The Nigerian youths can’t travel by road, so I ask Seyi Tinubu to travel by road without his security. Let him feel the pains of ordinary citizens,” he added.
Watch him speak below…
