Nigerian rapper and activist Eedris Abdulkareem has defended his latest song Tell Your Papa,’ clarifying that it was never intended as a personal attack on Seyi Tinubu.
Instead, the song was described as a response to Seyi’s public endorsement of his father, President Bola Tinubu, amidst Nigeria’s rising economic hardship.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Rubbin’ Minds, Abdulkareem explained the inspiration behind the controversial track.
According to him, the idea was sparked by a video in which Seyi Tinubu called his father “the greatest president in the history of Nigeria.”
That statement, made during a March 2025 event in Yola, Adamawa State, reportedly triggered widespread online backlash and public discussion.
Abdulkareem clarified that hismusic was created with a purpose to voice the struggles of Nigerian youth and not to insult anyone personally.
“If Seyi Tinubu never talked about it, I wouldn’t have recorded a song like that,”he said.
“So, I am replying to the video that he made. If he had kept quiet, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
The rapper further expressed disappointment with the Tinubu administration’s performance, noting the harsh reality faced by many citizens.
“He (Tinubu) has empowered Seyi as his son but Nigerian youths don’t have jobs talkless of food to eat,” Abdulkareem said.
“Let Seyi Tinubu travel by road without security — let him feel what Nigerians are going through.”
The release of Tell Your Papa drew swift reaction from authorities.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) banned the track, labeling it “inappropriate for broadcast.”
The ban triggered a wave of backlash, with free speech advocates, including Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, condemning the move as censorship.
In response, Abdulkareem drew comparisons to past government crackdowns on critical music.
He referenced his 2004 hit Nigeria Jaga Jaga, which was also banned during the Obasanjo administration.
“Twenty-four years later, Jaga Jaga is still relevant,” he remarked. “That says a lot.”
This latest clash with the NBC is not new for the rapper. In 2024, he released Emi Lo Kan, a song that challenged both President Tinubu and Pastor Enoch Adeboye.
That song addressed issues like hunger, marginalisation of ethnic groups, and rising poverty.
Furthermore, in 2018, he dropped Letter to Mr Obasanjo, branding the former leader “Nigeria’s problem.”
On Instagram, Abdulkareem fired back at the federal government’s actions, calling them a threat to truth and democracy.
“It’s obvious that in Nigeria, truth and constructive criticism is always deemed a big crime by the government,” he posted.
“This administration, led by President Bola Tinubu, is going on record as one of the most insensitive, vindictive, and grossly maleficent ever.”
He added that the current state of the country was evidence of failed leadership. “In just under two years of Tinubu’s presidency, the results are frighteningly abysmal,”Abdulkareem wrote.
“This is a fact known to all Nigerians, regardless of religion, tribe, or political affiliation — except for a few happy slaves grovelling for crumbs from their paymaster’s table.”
Quoting the revered Islamic scholar Uthman Dan-Fodio, he concluded:
“The conscience is an open wound; only the truth can heal it. Aluta continua.”
The Seyi Tinubu song criticism has sparked more than just online chatter.
It reflects the growing frustration among Nigerians, especially the youth, over what many see as worsening conditions in the country.
