Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has condemned the recent ban placed on Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s protest song, “Tell Your Papa”, calling it a dangerous return to censorship and an assault on the fundamental right to free expression. NBC Ban on Eedris Abdulkareem
In a statement issued from New York University, Abu Dhabi, on Sunday, Soyinka described the move by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) as a “petulant irrationality,” warning that it echoes a troubling pattern of artistic suppression in Nigeria’s history.
“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 stated.
While ironically suggesting that the ban did not go far enough – sarcastically proposing that Abdulkareem himself and his musical association be proscribed – Soyinka emphasized that the issue transcends the content of the song. “It concerns a fundamental democratic principle. It cannot be flouted. That, surely, is basic,” he said.
He highlighted the recurring futility of such state actions, noting that censorship often backfires. “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 quipped.
He further warned that attempts to stifle dissent through censorship only embolden state overreach and deteriorate democratic values. “We have been through this before, over and over again, ad nauseam. It is boring, time-wasting, diversionary, but most essential of all, subversive of all seizures of the fundamental right of free expression,” he said.
Beyond censorship, Soyinka touched on wider social concerns, including impunity and mob justice in Nigeria. He referenced the lynching of 19 youths in Edo State and the unresolved killing of Deborah Samuel in 2022, lamenting the culture of unpunished violence. “Our thirst for justice must remain unslaked,” he said.
Background: NBC’s Controversial Ban.
The NBC, in a memo dated April 9, 2025, classified “Tell Your Papa” as Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB) under Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. The commission cited the track’s “objectionable nature” and alleged violation of public decency, advising radio and television stations to refrain from airing it.
The song, which has garnered massive traction on social media, is a scathing critique of the economic and political conditions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Amnesty International and SERAP React.
Before Soyinka’s statement, prominent human rights bodies had already condemned the NBC’s decision. Amnesty International described the ban as “unlawful, arbitrary, and deeply worrying,” asserting that it violated the right to freedom of expression and access to information.
In a press release, the group stated, “Categorizing the song as ‘Not To Be Broadcast’ for solely being critical of the government is an abuse of power and is unacceptable.” Amnesty further warned that such suppression could have “a chilling effect” on artists and the media.
Similarly, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government and NBC to reverse the ban. “The Tinubu administration must immediately reverse the unlawful ban… We’ll see in court if the ban is not reversed within 48 hours,” the organization posted via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
Calls for Regulatory Reform.
Both Amnesty International and SERAP called for urgent reforms to NBC’s regulatory framework, arguing that it has long been used to muzzle dissent and suppress critical voices in the media and creative sectors.
Amnesty emphasized that the ban violated Nigeria’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights—both of which guarantee freedom of expression and artistic freedom.
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As public outcry continues to mount over the ban, Professor Soyinka’s intervention has added intellectual and moral weight to calls for a reversal. His warning about the dangers of silencing dissent serves as a reminder that any society that tolerates only praise-singers risks sliding into authoritarianism.
“The government must learn to accommodate criticism,” Soyinka stressed. “Any administration that thrives only on applause has already commenced a downhill slide into the abyss.”
