The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, has criticised the National Broadcasting Commission’s decision to ban Eedris Abdulkareem’s controversial new song, “Tell Your Papa,” describing the move as counterproductive and likely to fuel more interest in the track.
The song, which directly addresses worsening hardship in Nigeria and calls out President Bola Tinubu through his son, Seyi Tinubu, has stirred heated reactions online and offline.
Speaking with reporters in Lagos, PMAN President Pretty Okafor said the ban is more likely to amplify the song’s message than suppress it.
“The first major mistake is banning the song. It’s going to make it go even more viral. People who haven’t heard about it will now want to listen. The ban has only drawn more attention to the message,” he said.
While distancing the association from direct involvement due to the politically charged nature of the track, Okafor acknowledged that Abdulkareem’s lyrics reflect the nation’s grim economic realities.
“We’ll keep watching. The truth is, people are suffering. The song speaks to what’s happening in the country,” he added.
The National Broadcasting Commission had, in a memo dated April 9th, ordered radio and TV stations to refrain from airing the song, labeling it “Not To Be Broadcast” under Section 3.1.8 of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
The commission cited the song’s “objectionable nature” and its failure to meet the threshold for responsible content as reasons for the ban.
Eedris Abdulkareem, known for his history of socially conscious music, released “Tell Your Papa” in response to Seyi Tinubu’s remarks describing his father as “the greatest president in Nigeria’s history.”
In the hard-hitting track, Abdulkareem challenges the Tinubu administration over poverty, insecurity, and unmet promises, calling on Seyi to “tell your papa country hard.”
With the ban now in place, questions are being raised about censorship, freedom of expression, and the growing use of music as a form of political resistance.
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