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“Tell Your Papa”: Wole Soyinka Slams Tinubu’s Govt Over Ban on Eedris Abdulkareem’s Song

Nigeria is talking again—and this time, it’s not just about politics, but about freedom.

Nobel Laureate and respected literary icon, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has come out swinging against the Nigerian government after the ban on veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s latest track, “Tell Your Papa.” The controversial song, which directly addresses President Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, takes a jab at the worsening state of the nation, and apparently, the authorities couldn’t take the heat. Eyes Of Lagos reports,

In a memo dropped by the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the song was labelled “objectionable” and banned from being aired on both radio and television.

But Prof. Soyinka isn’t having it.

In a powerful response titled “Surely, Not Again,” Soyinka called out the government for what he described as a resurgence of censorship and a blatant attack on free speech.

“I learnt recently of a return to the culture of censorship with the banning of the product of a music artist, Eedris Abdulkareem,” he said, adding a heavy dose of sarcasm:
“My position is that such a progressive move does not go far enough. Why stop at banning the song? Ban the musician too. Shut down the music association. And while you’re at it, punish the cartoonist who dared to speak truth through art!”

Although Soyinka admitted he hasn’t even listened to the song himself, he stood firm on one key point: free expression is non-negotiable in any democratic society.

He even joked that the ban might end up helping Eedris more than hurting him:

“The ban is a boost to the artist’s nest egg, thanks to free governmental promotion. Mr. Abdulkareem must be currently warbling his merry way all the way to the bank. I envy him.”

Soyinka also warned that crackdowns on critics and dissenters have become dangerously common in Nigeria, from social commentators being arrested across state lines to artists facing trials simply for sharing their truth.

“We’ve been through this before—again and again. It’s boring, it’s time-wasting, and most of all, it’s a threat to every Nigerian’s basic right to speak their truth.”

And finally, his message to the government was clear and sharp:

“Any government that only tolerates praise-singers is already on a dangerous path downhill.”

What do you think?
Should Eedris’ song have been banned? Or is this just another attempt to silence artists who refuse to stay quiet?

👉 Drop your thoughts in the comments. This conversation is just getting started.

https://eyesoflagos.com/2025/04/13/tell-your-papa-wole-soyinka-slams-tinubus-govt-over-ban-on-eedris-abdulkareems-song-%f0%9f%94%a5%f0%9f%8e%a4/

🥱

Soyinka the hypocrite

Tinubu doesn't have the temperament of a national leader he dwells in slave master mentality.
Whoever thought a Westerner will make a mess of the hard fought democracy.

Na since yesterday I don dey listen to the Song. Very Sweet

Eedris should have gone to court instead of making a song.

Wole Soyinka should stick to his literary craft.

This government is not censoring anything. Eedris can sing and release his song.

What the government did was just a ban on airing the song. It is their right to choose what to air or not.

VnAhunnaPl:
Eedris should have gone to court instead of making a song.

Bot always opening mouth waaa.

tundegan:
Wole Soyinka should stick to his literary craft.

This government is not censoring anything. Eedris can sing and release his song.

What the government did was just a ban on airing the song. It is their right to choose what to air or not.

Bot that doesn't know the meaning of censorship.

If he is not obsessing about POTUS he is avoiding real issues here and talking about ban of song.
No comments on piling debts or unemployment.
Please say something prof.

Banning the song was even the masterstroke that even brought the song to limelight,if not,the Song would have died naturally cuz Nigerians wouldn't have had the time to stream it in the first place....

But now,I don rush go stream the song and e really make sense and now I know why it's giving our useless politicians sleepless nights

Wole Soyinka should be the last person to talk about censorship.

That man is the king of censorship. He has personally called for the censorship of many artists in the past.

This is just a case of him being on the other side of the coin now.

Remember wot OBJ did to you? Ideris? Be like Sey u want go exix again

Idris Abdulkareem mouth suppose don dey pain am with they way I don too overplay the song.

Funny nation

tundegan:
Wole Soyinka should stick to his literary craft.

This government is not censoring anything. Eedris can sing and release his song.

What the government did was just a ban on airing the song. It is their right to choose what to air or not.

Daft BOT! I know Prof. Has personal relationship with Tinubu but much as he tries to ignore his excesses, the more the impunity is getting irritating and not long from now,Prof. will take it no more.

Make the elder no dey behave like a toddler

phosky:
“Tell Your Papa”: Wole Soyinka Slams Tinubu’s Govt Over Ban on Eedris Abdulkareem’s Song

Nigeria is talking again—and this time, it’s not just about politics, but about freedom.

Nobel Laureate and respected literary icon, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has come out swinging against the Nigerian government after the ban on veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s latest track, “Tell Your Papa.” The controversial song, which directly addresses President Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, takes a jab at the worsening state of the nation, and apparently, the authorities couldn’t take the heat. Eyes Of Lagos reports,

In a memo dropped by the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the song was labelled “objectionable” and banned from being aired on both radio and television.

But Prof. Soyinka isn’t having it.

In a powerful response titled “Surely, Not Again,” Soyinka called out the government for what he described as a resurgence of censorship and a blatant attack on free speech.

“I learnt recently of a return to the culture of censorship with the banning of the product of a music artist, Eedris Abdulkareem,” he said, adding a heavy dose of sarcasm:
“My position is that such a progressive move does not go far enough. Why stop at banning the song? Ban the musician too. Shut down the music association. And while you’re at it, punish the cartoonist who dared to speak truth through art!”

Although Soyinka admitted he hasn’t even listened to the song himself, he stood firm on one key point: free expression is non-negotiable in any democratic society.

He even joked that the ban might end up helping Eedris more than hurting him:

“The ban is a boost to the artist’s nest egg, thanks to free governmental promotion. Mr. Abdulkareem must be currently warbling his merry way all the way to the bank. I envy him.”

Soyinka also warned that crackdowns on critics and dissenters have become dangerously common in Nigeria, from social commentators being arrested across state lines to artists facing trials simply for sharing their truth.

“We’ve been through this before—again and again. It’s boring, it’s time-wasting, and most of all, it’s a threat to every Nigerian’s basic right to speak their truth.”

And finally, his message to the government was clear and sharp:

“Any government that only tolerates praise-singers is already on a dangerous path downhill.”

What do you think?
Should Eedris’ song have been banned? Or is this just another attempt to silence artists who refuse to stay quiet?

👉 Drop your thoughts in the comments. This conversation is just getting started.

https://eyesoflagos.com/2025/04/13/tell-your-papa-wole-soyinka-slams-tinubus-govt-over-ban-on-eedris-abdulkareems-song-%f0%9f%94%a5%f0%9f%8e%a4/

People around Pbat are insensitive and emotional. Government officials are also full of eye service

Salewa97:
Wole Soyinka should be the last person to talk about censorship.

That man is the king of censorship. He has personally called for the censorship of many artists in the past.

This is just a case of him being on the other side of the coin now.

Do you care to mention a few examples?

Shameless hypocrite. Wole Soyinka have long lost it.

Is that the most pressing issues at hand now?

Wole Soyinka slams NBC for banning Eedris Abdulkareem’s protest song

https://cdn.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/25020750/Prof-Wole-Soyinka1.jpg

By Makua Ubanagu

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has condemned the recent ban placed on a song by Nigerian musician, Eedris Abdulkareem, describing the development as a return to the culture of censorship and a threat to the right to free expression.

In a statement issued from New York University, Abu Dhabi, on Sunday, Soyinka criticised the action and its wider implications, saying it echoed past attempts to stifle artistic and socio-political commentary in Nigeria.

“Courtesy of an artist operating in a different genre – the cartoon – who sent me his recent graphic comment on the event, I learnt recently of a return to the culture of censorship with the banning of the product of a music artist, Eedris Abdulkareem,” Soyinka said in the piece posted on PM news.

He expressed irony in suggesting that the ban did not go far enough, stating, “It is not only the allegedly offensive record that should be banned – the musician himself should be proscribed. Next, PMAN, or whatever musical association of which Abdulkareem is member, should also go under the hammer.”

Soyinka noted that he had not listened to the banned song but stressed that the issue transcends content and concerns a fundamental democratic principle.

“It cannot be flouted. That, surely is basic. This is why I feel that we should look on the bright side of any picture and thus recommend the Aleshinloye cartoon – and others in allied vein – as an easy-to-apprehend, easy-to-digest summation of the wisdom of attempting to stifle unpalatable works of art or socio-political commentary,” he said.

He also pointed out the irony that censorship often benefits the targeted artist.

The literary icon warned that such censorship was not only counterproductive but also dangerous to democratic development.

“We have been through this before, over and over again, ad nauseum. We know where it all ends. It is boring, time-wasting, diversionary but most essential of all, subversive of all seizures of the fundamental right of free expression,” Soyinka said.

He warned that it creates “a permissive atmosphere of trickle-down power,” where state authorities feel emboldened to clamp down on dissent.

Soyinka’s statement also touched on broader issues of impunity and mob violence in Nigeria, lamenting the recent lynching of 19 youths in Edo State.

“My heart goes out to friends, colleagues and families of victims and traumatised survivors of this senseless slaughter. Our thirst for justice must remain unslaked,” he said.

Referencing the 2022 killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto, Soyinka criticised the culture of impunity, saying, “Identified killers were set free to gloat, and paste their photos on the Social Media… in full daylight glare, in the presence of both citizen voyeurs and security forces.”

He called for accountability, warning that “as long as the culture of impunity is given the sheerest strain of legitimacy in any given cause, such gruesome assaults on our common humanity will continue to prevail.”

Soyinka concluded by urging the relevant regulatory body to reverse what he described as a “petulant irrationality,” warning that any government that only tolerates praise-singers “has already commenced a downhill slide into the abyss.”

Source: https://punchng.com/wole-soyinka-slams-nbc-for-banning-eedris-abdulkareems-protest-song

VnAhunnaPl:
Eedris should have gone to court instead of making a song.

The way Fela went to court in his days

You will not be able to count five Nigeria more important than Prof Wole Soyinka, the genius sage.

Okay

The Rice Merchant has spoken