Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has strongly condemned the Nigerian government’s recent ban on a politically charged song by veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem. The track, titled “Tell Your Papa,” directly criticizes the country’s worsening socio-economic conditions and was addressed to President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu. The Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) banned the song from being aired on radio and television, citing its “objectionable nature”—a move that quickly sparked public outrage.
Reacting to the development, Soyinka, in a statement titled “Surely, Not Again” from New York University, Abu Dhabi, described the ban as a troubling return to the culture of censorship. Employing sharp irony, he suggested that the government’s action didn’t go far enough: “It is not only the allegedly offensive record that should be banned – the musician himself should be proscribed. Next, PMAN, or whatever musical association of which Abdulkareem is a member, should also go under the hammer,” he quipped.
Referencing a satirical cartoon by artist Ebun Aleshinloye, who critiqued the ban, Soyinka warned that stifling artistic or socio-political commentary—be it through music, visual art, or other forms—undermines democracy. He emphasized that while he had not listened to the song, the principle of free expression is paramount and must be protected regardless of content.
Soyinka highlighted the irony of censorship often benefiting the targeted artist. “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,” he said.
Beyond the specific case, Soyinka drew attention to a broader pattern of state overreach and impunity in Nigeria. He lamented how governors have previously pursued and imprisoned critics using the judicial system, and warned of the dangers of allowing “theocratic authorities” and state actors to silence dissent unchecked.“
We have been through this before, over and over again, ad nauseum,” Soyinka said. “It is boring, time-wasting, diversionary, but most essential of all, subversive of the fundamental right of free expression.”
He concluded with a stern warning: “Any government that is tolerant only of yes-men and praise-singers has already commenced a downhill slide into the abyss.” Soyinka called on the NBC and other relevant bodies to reverse what he described as a “petulant irrationality,” emphasizing that democratic societies must create space for criticism, not crush it.
Sources
