The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has banned the protest song Tell Your Papa by veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem from being played on radio and television across Nigeria.

The ban was announced in a memo dated Wednesday, April 9, 2025, and signed by the Commission’s Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Susan Obi.

According to the NBC, the track was flagged for containing “objectionable” lyrics that violate the rules of responsible broadcasting.

“The National Broadcasting Commission has identified the song ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem, currently trending on social media, as content deemed inappropriate for broadcast due to its objectionable nature,” the memo stated.

It also declared that the song falls under content classified as Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB), as provided in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

“It is therefore classified as Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB), as it violates Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.”

That section of the code restricts media platforms from airing content seen as offensive, indecent, or against public morality.

“The commission requests that your station exercises discretion and refrains from airing this song to maintain responsible broadcasting standards.”

The song, Tell Your Papa, had gained massive attention online after Eedris called out Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for praising his father despite the hardship in the country.

Eedris, known for his controversial lyrics and politically charged songs like Jaga Jaga, is yet to respond to the NBC’s decision.

The rapper had earlier described the new track as “a voice for the voiceless.”

This is not the first time NBC has banned his music. In 2004, the same commission placed a ban on Jaga Jaga after it criticised the Nigerian government under President Olusegun Obasanjo.