The Nigerian music icon and outspoken rapper, Eedris Abdulkareem, has clarified the intent behind his latest single Tell Your Papa, stating firmly that it was not meant as a personal jab at Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The music icon explained that, the track is a direct message to Nigeria’s leadership, urging for immediate and meaningful action on the nation’s economic collapse and rising insecurity.
The controversy erupted following Seyi Tinubu’s public assertion that his father is “Nigeria’s greatest-ever president.” The comment, made during a campaign event in Yola, Adamawa State, in March 2025, spurred the rapper into releasing the now-controversial song.
Abdulkareem went further to emphasise that had Seyi Tinubu not made the public statement, the song would never have been created. According to him, Tell Your Papa was “inspired” by Seyi’s own words and served as a necessary artistic expression of the frustration shared by millions of Nigerians.
During an interview, Abdulkareem didn’t hold back in advising the president’s son to take a step back from public declarations. “Seyi, in my view, would do better to stay silent than to speak without truly understanding the struggles of the Nigerian people,” the rapper commented.
He challenged Seyi Tinubu to travel by road without the shield of government security to truly grasp what life is like for the average citizen.
“President Tinubu may be a great father to Seyi, but not to the Nigerian youth. While Seyi has been empowered by his father, the rest of us continue to suffer,” he said bluntly.
