Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem released his third studio album, "Jaga Jaga", in 2004, which included the title track that became a commentary on corruption, poverty, insecurity, and frustrations of ordinary Nigerians. The song's directness caught the attention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, leading to a clash between the rapper and the sitting president. The song was restricted from radio airplay but continued to circulate among Nigerians.
The song "Nigeria Jaga Jaga" described political figures as "political armed robbers", placing corruption and bad governance in the same moral space as criminality. The song captured the anger of Nigerians who felt that the promises of democracy had not translated into better living conditions. Abdulkareem's message had reached its intended destination, and he saw the reaction from the presidency as proof.
Obasanjo was not done with the song, and almost a decade later, he was still referring to "Jaga Jaga" while discussing Nigerians' loss of faith in themselves and their country. Obasanjo argued that young Nigerians were being prepared for future leadership and questioned whether the country could move forward with people who expressed such views about Nigeria.
Eedris Abdulkareem had built a reputation for using popular music to address issues that many Nigerians recognised but did not always discuss openly. His song "Mr Lecturer" tackled sexual harassment in Nigerian universities, and "Jaga Jaga" widened his target from the classroom to the country itself.
Abdulkareem's later works continued in the same direction, addressing poverty, corruption, inequality, extortion, and frustrations of ordinary Nigerians. His music has consistently treated the platform as a commentary, even when doing so placed him at odds with powerful people.
More than two decades after "Jaga Jaga", Abdulkareem found himself in a remarkably familiar position with his 2025 song "Tell Your Papa", a protest song aimed at the administration of President Bola Tinubu through his son, Seyi. The song touched on economic hardship, hunger, and insecurity and quickly gained attention online.
The National Broadcasting Commission directed Nigerian radio and television stations not to air "Tell Your Papa", classifying the song as "Not To Be Broadcast" due to its objectionable nature. However, the restriction did not stop the song from spreading online or being played from streaming platforms.
Key points
- Eedris Abdulkareem's music has a long history of challenging Nigeria's leaders and addressing social issues.
- Abdulkareem's songs "Nigeria Jaga Jaga" and "Tell Your Papa" have been restricted from radio airplay but continue to circulate online.
- The rapper's music has consistently treated the platform as a commentary on social issues, even when doing so placed him at odds with powerful people.
