The National Broadcasting Commission’s recent ban on Eedris Abdulkareem’s protest song Tell Your Papa has sparked national outrage, drawing strong condemnation from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International. Both organisations have labelled the decision as unlawful, unconstitutional, and a dangerous attack on freedom of expression in Nigeria.
NBC had, in a memo dated 9 April 2025 and signed by its Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Susan Obi, declared the song “Not To Be Broadcast” (NTBB), citing Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. The Commission described the song as “offensive” and “against public decency,” instructing radio and TV stations across the country to refrain from airing it.
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The song, which criticises President Bola Tinubu’s administration over economic hardship and governance failure, has quickly gained traction on social media. Abdulkareem, long known for his politically charged lyrics and advocacy through music, has rejected the ban, stating that it is part of a larger pattern of silencing dissenting voices.
Reacting swiftly, SERAP issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government and NBC to reverse the ban, threatening legal action if their demand is ignored. “The Tinubu administration must immediately reverse the unlawful ban. We’ll see in court if the ban is not lifted within 48 hours,” the organisation posted via its official X handle.
Similarly, Amnesty International condemned the NBC’s action as “unlawful, arbitrary, and deeply worrying.” The organisation warned that banning a song for being critical of the government not only violates constitutional rights but also puts Nigeria in breach of its international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“This clampdown on artistic freedom is an appalling reminder that artists are at risk of being silenced,” Amnesty said. “Nothing can justify suffocating creativity. The ban is entirely inconsistent with the right to access information and media freedom.”
Both Amnesty and SERAP called on President Tinubu to intervene directly by ordering the NBC to lift the ban and to ensure that freedom of expression is respected. They also demanded urgent reforms to NBC’s regulatory framework, which they argue has been repeatedly used to suppress dissent, control narratives, and muzzle press freedom in the country.
The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has also waded into the controversy. Its president, Pretty Okafor, condemned the ban as counterproductive, saying it would only fuel the song’s popularity, especially among Nigerians grappling with worsening economic conditions.
“This kind of censorship always backfires. People are angry and frustrated, and they see this song as a reflection of their daily reality,” Okafor noted.
Despite the growing public and institutional pressure, the NBC has not responded to the backlash, and President Tinubu is yet to comment on the matter.
Observers warn that if the ban is upheld, it may open the floodgates to wider government censorship and signal an era of heightened repression against free artistic expression and press freedom in Nigeria.
