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An international civil society organisation (CSO), Global Rights, has condemned the decision of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to ban the airplay of Eedris Abdulkareem’s song, “Tell Your Papa,” across radio and television stations in Nigeria.
In a statement on Sunday, signed by the Civic Space Program Officer for Global Rights, Damilola Decker, the CSO urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to live up to democratic expectations by intervening in undemocratic actions by his appointees.
The statement read: “Global Rights strongly condemns the decision of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to ban the airplay of Eedris Abdulkareem’s song, “Tell Your Papa,” across radio and television stations in Nigeria.
“This action represents yet another disgraceful and deeply troubling assault on freedom of expression—one of the cornerstones of any genuine democracy. NBC’s failure to provide any lawful or sensible justification for this ban speaks volumes. It leaves little doubt that the Commission’s decision is rooted in political convenience rather than regulatory necessity.
“The song openly critiques the current Tinubu administration’s governance and policy failures and appears to have been singled out solely for its critical content. This is unacceptable in a democratic society.
“The ban is not only undemocratic, it is also blatantly unconstitutional. Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to receive and impart information and ideas without interference.
“Furthermore, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Nigeria is a party, affirms the right to freedom of opinion and expression through any media of one’s choice. The decision by NBC is also a breach of Nigeria’s international obligations.
“We remind the Nigerian government of the lingering International stigma it attracted following the infamous Twitter ban of 2019, a decision that the ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled was unlawful and a violation of the right to freedom of expression. That stain on Nigeria’s democratic credentials has not been completely washed away.
“Unfortunately, this latest act fits into an alarming pattern of state-sanctioned suppression of dissent in Nigeria. We have witnessed how Ushie Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who publicly criticized Tinubu’s job performance and highlighted the negative impact of his policies on the Nigerian people, was subjected to intimidation by top officials of the NYSC scheme.
“Similarly, Hamdiyya Sidi Shariff, an 18-year-old social media activist, was arrested in November 2024 for posting a TikTok video about the rampant insecurity in Sokoto State. She has since been charged for posting content capable of “inciting public disturbance”. “
Furthermore, the CSO stated: “It is our considered opinion that her arrest and subsequent prosecution pose another flagrant affront to the right to freedom of expression in Nigeria. The tactics may vary—from court rulings to repressive legislation to arbitrary shutdowns of media platforms, but the pattern is unmistakable: silence dissent, suppress criticism, and punish those who dare to speak. This must stop.
“The right to hold the government accountable in a democracy is sacrosanct and must be preserved.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has repeatedly claimed to be a democrat. Now is the time to prove it. In a functioning democracy, public officials are expected to develop tough skins or get out of the proverbial kitchen if they can’t take the heat. Banning a protest song because it makes political leaders uncomfortable is not the hallmark of democratic governance; it is rather the reflex of authoritarianism.
“Consequently, we demand the NBC to immediately rescind the ban on “Tell Your Papa” and publicly apologize for this overreach. We urge all media houses—radio and TV stations—to defy this unlawful directive and continue to air the song as a matter of public interest.
“The Sokoto State Government must immediately discontinue its nonsensical prosecution of Ms. Hamdiyya Sidi Shariff, and she should be released immediately.
“This young woman’s willingness to use her platform to tackle relevant national issues should be applauded, not stifled.
“We demand that the Tinubu administration call itself to order, reaffirm its commitment to democratic norms, and halt all actions that seek to curtail freedom of expression.
” “Tell your papa” that the Nigerian people will not be silenced. Democracy cannot thrive where dissent is crushed, and the Nigerian people will not retreat to an era where dissent is criminalized.”
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