Veteran Nigerian rapper and singer, Eedris Abdulkareem, has clarified that his latest song “Tell Your Papa” was not aimed at attacking Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu.
Instead, he explained that the song was simply a reply to something Seyi said earlier.
Seyi Tinubu had in March, during a visit to Yola in Adamawa State, said that his father as the “greatest president” Nigeria has ever had.
Abdulkareem made this clarification on Sunday when he featured on Channels TV’s Rubbin’ Minds
He said the song titled ‘Tell Your Papa’ was not meant to insult Seyi, but to urge him to tell his father to fix the country’s problems.
“Nigerian youths are just asking for basics: electricity, security, enabling economic environment, job creation and not palliatives,” Abdulkareem said.
He said he only made the song because of Seyi’s statement.
He added, “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.”
Recall that the National Broadcasting Commission banned the song from being played on TV and radio, calling it inappropriate.
Many Nigerians have condemned the ban.
On Sunday, Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, criticised the ban placed on a song
Soyinka said the ban feels like a return to censorship and a threat to free speech.
Abdulkareem also talked about his 2001 song ‘Nigeria Jagajaga’, noting that the message was still relevant today because the country has not really moved forward.
He explained how Seyi Tinubu’s words gave him the idea for the new song.
“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,” he stated.
Abdulkareem said while Tinubu may be a good father to Seyi, many young Nigerians are suffering.
“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 said.
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