Controversial Nigerian activist and social commentator, VeryDarkMan (VDM), has thrown his weight behind veteran rapper, Eedris Abdulkareem, following the federal government’s ban of his protest song, Tell Your Papa. In a bold show of support, VDM has pledged to fund a new video for the song, promising an even louder message in defiance of the censorship.
The Federal Government, through the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), on Thursday declared the track “inappropriate and offensive,” effectively banning it from airplay across radio and television stations nationwide. Ironically, the ban has propelled the song into the public spotlight, sparking intense conversation on social media and driving curious Nigerians to seek out the song online.
In a video posted to his social media page, VeryDarkMan lambasted the authorities for the ban, calling it a reflection of a government afraid of the truth. According to VDM, Abdulkareem’s lyrics, particularly the call for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, to relay the suffering of Nigerians to his father mirror the country’s grim realities.
“I saw the letter NBC sent to Eedris, banning the song where he simply told Seyi Tinubu to tell his father there’s hardship and people are dying,” VDM said. “So, now the government doesn’t want the truth heard?”
Rejecting the traditional media channels that censored the song, VeryDarkMan emphasized the power of social media. “Who still listens to radio or watches TV? Social media is where we take the message now,” he declared.
He also revealed plans to remake the video with a more impactful storyline. “We’ll sponsor it. I’ll be in the video. We’ll find a Tinubu lookalike and address even more pressing issues,” he said, hinting at a sequel titled Tell Your Papa 2.
VDM’s move marks a new chapter in protest art and activism in Nigeria, signaling that government censorship may no longer silence voices but amplify them.
