Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has criticised the recent ban placed on a song by Nigerian musician, Eedris Abdulkareem, calling for the reversal of the action.
Abdulkareem, who is popular for his song ‘Jaga Jaga’, which was critical of the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo, recently released a new song titled ‘Tell Your Papa’ directed at President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi. In the song, the singer criticised the President for the worsening economy and hardship in the country.
This moved the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to release a memo on Wednesday, banning the song from being aired on radio and television, citing its objectionable nature. The action has since sparked outrage from Nigerians.
In a statement he issued from New York University, Abu Dhabi, on Sunday, Soyinka described the ban as a return to the culture of censorship and a threat to the right to free expression.
According to him, the action echoed past attempts to stifle artistic and socio-political commentary in Nigeria.
The Nobel Laureate noted that any government that is only tolerant of praise-singers and dancers to the official beat, has already commenced a downhill slide into the abyss.
