In a bold return to the frontline of musical activism, veteran Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem has dropped a searing protest track titled “Tell Your Papa,” directly calling out Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The song, released on Sunday via Abdulkareem’s X (formerly Twitter) handle, is a hard-hitting commentary on Nigeria’s escalating economic woes, deepening insecurity, and unfulfilled political promises.
Eedris, who has long used his voice as a weapon against bad governance, doesn’t mince words in this new track. His message? Loud and unrelenting: Seyi Tinubu must step out of his cocoon of privilege and confront the harsh realities that millions of Nigerians face daily.
“Seyi, tell your papa, country hard. Tell your papa, people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga,” the rapper spits in raw, piercing Pidgin—a haunting callback to his iconic 2004 anthem “Jaga Jaga,” which shook the nation and rattled the corridors of power.
The timing of the release is telling. In March, during a public engagement in Adamawa State, Seyi Tinubu declared his father the “greatest president in Nigeria’s history,” praising his administration’s youth-focused and economic policies. Abdulkareem’s response? A lyrical gut punch, portraying the younger Tinubu as out of touch with the harsh economic turbulence ravaging ordinary citizens.
“Seyi, how far? I swear your papa no try,” he raps, lacing his bars with biting sarcasm. “On behalf of Nigerians, take our message to him. Kidnappers dey kill Nigerians. Try travel by road without security, make you feel the pain. You dey fly private jets; insecurity no be your problem.”
Abdulkareem’s new release is more than just a song—it’s a movement. He calls on the younger Tinubu to be the bridge between the presidency and the suffering masses, urging him to step beyond the glitz of power and listen to the cries of the people.
In a statement shared alongside the song, Abdulkareem described “Tell Your Papa” as “a sizzling, politically and socially charged commentary on the nation’s state.” True to form, he delivers a no-holds-barred critique that cuts through the noise and spins of political propaganda.
This isn’t Abdulkareem’s first rodeo. The fearless lyricist has made a career out of challenging the political establishment. His 2004 protest classic “Nigeria Jaga Jaga” sparked national debate and drew heavy fire from then-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who famously condemned the track as “the height of blasphemy.”
Obasanjo, speaking at the Nigeria Leadership Initiative forum in Lagos, decried the song for allegedly demoralising the youth. “How could a sane man dare to call his country ‘Jaga Jaga’?” he asked rhetorically.
But Abdulkareem was unfazed. He clapped back on social media and in interviews, accusing Obasanjo of hypocrisy and complicity in the country’s woes. He even teased a follow-up track titled “Obasanjo Na My Friend,” playfully trolling the former president: “You dey look for trouble ooo… Obasanjo na my mugu oooo.”
With a catalogue of songs that read like protest anthems and open letters to power, Eedris Abdulkareem has solidified his place as one of Nigeria’s most daring musical voices. From “Letter to Mr. President” to his scathing critiques of government corruption and misrule, Abdulkareem remains unapologetically on the side of the people.
His latest track, “Tell Your Papa,” isn’t just a song—it’s a battle cry. A plea for accountability. A raw, rhythmic reminder that Nigeria’s soul is bleeding—and someone needs to listen.
As the nation groans under economic strain, insecurity, and a widening gap between leadership and the people, Eedris Abdulkareem’s voice cuts through the silence. And with this new anthem, he once again proves that when politicians fail, music speaks.
PIONEER NEWS 