Eedris Abdulkareem’s ‘Tell Your Papa’ Lyrics: A Symptom of a Sick Democracy -By Abdulkadir Salaudeen

Nigeria’s democracy is sick. To cure it, it does not need medical doctors. What it needs to get well is a group of democrats that would pull it out from that slough in which it is trapped. If it continues to be trapped in the slough by anti-democratic forces who benefit from it being trapped, it will continue to be sick. If it continues to be sick, its death may soon be announced. And I am very sure that the death of democracy in Nigeria, if it is eventually announced, will not shock the world. Going by the characters of the Nigerian ruling ‘democrats,’ democracy’s death is overdue. Why democracy is still breathing, if it is actually breathing, remains a mystery.

That song ‘Tell Your Papa’  by that ace artiste whose name is a household name in Nigerian music industry clearly shows a symptom of ailing Nigeria. Eedris Abdulkareem has been consistent in firing his powerful missiles at the most appropriate time and at the most appropriate quarters. His songs are not replete with obscenities which make listening to music a no-no for some of us. Abdulkareem, through his songs, spoke the minds of all suffering Nigerians. I should make myself clearer. It is not that Nigerians have not been speaking, it is just that their voices have either not been able to reach those people within the corridor of power or it has been reaching them but they pretend to be deaf.

Abdulkareem had concluded, long time ago, that Nigerian rulers are not deaf. Anyone who has been listening to the author of ‘Nigeria Jaga Jaga’ will understand that what Abdulkareem is saying is: “It is not that Nigerian governments do not hear the voices of Nigerian masses as they wail. It is just that they (Nigerian rulers) do not understand both the spoken and written languages the masses have chosen as medium of communication.”

In his unique manner of speaking truth to power, the Jaga Jaga man puts it rightly without mincing a word: “this one don pass jaga jaga.” We all agree that, under Tinubu, what Nigerians are going through pass jaga jaga. We thought every reasonable Nigerian agreed to this basic incontrovertible fact until the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission NBC declared the infamous ban on ‘Seyi, Tell Your Papa.’ It was then I realized Abdulkareem is right: the government is not deaf. The missiles that accompanied ‘Seyi Tell Your Papa’ lyrics were fired with precision. It hits the target. It sends a strong message to the Nigerian ruling class who has made torturing the masses a pastime. It is why Tinubu government finds the missiles fired by Abdulkareem too poisonous.

But can ‘Seyi Tell Your Papa’ be the cure to our ailing country? Is Seyi the right guy to tell President Tinubu that the life and the general affairs of Nigerians are topsy-turvying with his wicked economic policies? When was Seyi actually elected or nominated to act in that capacity? When exactly did Seyi become an arm of government whose function is to checkmate the excesses of his father. Can he actually deliver Abdulkareem’s message to his father after declaring him the best president in Nigeria? Does Mr. Lecturer (Eedris Abdulkareem) think Seyi has two mouths? Which mouth exactly would he use to tell his father that Nigerians are suffering when a mouth of Seyi said, and perhaps still says, his father is the best thing that has ever happened to Nigeria and Nigerians? I am just wondering.

Yet, Eedris Abdulkareem is not wrong to have sent the right message through the wrong person (Tinubu’s kid). For it is possible Abdulkareem believes democracy is completely dead under Tinubu. In that case, he is right to have chosen Seyi for the message. Seyi, please, “tell your papa country hard; tell your papa people dey die; tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga.” Has what Nigerians going through actually not passed jaga jaga?

He continues: “Seyi, how far? I swear your papa no try; too much empty promises; on behalf of Nigerians, take our message to him; kidnappers dey kill Nigerians.” This one too na lie? Just last Friday, kidnappers ‘kidnapped’ an official Toyota Hilux that belongs to the office of the National Security Adviser. It is by God’s grace that Nuhu Ribadu wasn’t in the vehicle. Wouldn’t it be a global disgrace that Tinubu’s NSA is kidnapped, not in Sambisa in Borno State but in Abuja the Country’s Capital? Just imagine that Ribadu was in that Toyota Hilux!

Abdulkareem actually asked Seyi to deliver the message. But before Seyi could telephone his father who was enjoying his life in France while killings of Nigerians on a large scale were/are ongoing in Benue, Plateau, Borno and other states, he was overtaken by the NBC—as if in a competitive race—to deliver the message. The NBC delivered the message better than Seyi would have done by banning the song. Thanks to NBC. The song was banned from being aired but the NBC forgot to ban it from being sung. Someone said the ban was an empty ban. I consider it a foolish ban. How can you ban a song only to popularize it? With the benefit of hindsight, the NBC should know that banning such a song will boomerang and end up with an unintended result. Except if the NBC is working against Tinubu’s reelection by exposing his government to ridicule, those behind the ban did not think before they leaped.

Many are not aware of Eedris Abdulkareem’s 2021 “Jaga Jaga Reloaded” or his “Oti Get E” in the same year. His recent “Emi lokan” which he sang last year (2024) seems also not  to be noticed by many Nigerians. If not for the ban, many (though not me) wouldn’t have heard of ‘Tell Your Papa’ lyric or even listened it. I listened to it before it was banned, I found it very timely, and even thought Mr. Lecturer deserves multiple awards. I was right. The ban is like awarding the ace rapper by other means. Or is anything more rewarding to Abdulkareem than seeing his ‘Tell Your Papa’ go viral? Could he be more fulfilled than seeing how his ‘Tell Your Papa’ discomforted our rulers who are comfortably cocooned in their comfort zone from the reality of daily unbearable hardship Nigerians are forced to go through?

If we think democracy is dead completely in Nigeria and has given way to unconstitutional monarchy, Seyi, the heir apparent should be accorded the respect he deserves. Sending him to his father, as Abdulkareem did, is just the right thing to do. We may also wish to send his wife Sen. Remi (whether we agree she is our mama or not) to talk to Kabiyesi on behalf of suffering and dying Nigerians.

But I am of the opinion that democracy in Nigeria is sick (not dead) since our lawmakers at the National Assembly still pretend to be making laws and our courts have not stopped to dispense selective justice. Untill these two arms of government formally surrender their rights to President Tinubu, there is hope of getting Nigerian democracy out of ICU.

In conclusion, can anyone tell me if what we are presently witnessing in Nigeria is one of the signs of the end times? Eedris Abdulkareem, a rapper, always speaks for the masses and risks his comfort but our clerics are becoming government spokespersons, all the time, to justify whipping the masses as they are encouraged to turn the other cheek. Let me ask again: is this not end times?

Yes! There are clerics who are yet to be bought and there are those who are unbuyable. Clerics with untainted integrity should appeal to their clerical colleagues in the houses of God to fear God. Their ungodly behavior—forming unholy alliance with wicked rulers against the masses—is turning people away from religion. Our Imams and pastors should take note.

To Eedris Abdulkareem, a big thumbs up.

Abdulkadir Salaudeen

salahuddeenabdulkadir@gmail.com