How I was offered N200m bribe for my new protest song – Eedris Abdulkareem

The popular hip-hop artiste Eedris Abdulkareem has claimed that he was offered a N200 million bribe by an individual who allegedly posed as a senator, in connection with his recent protest track, Tell Your Papa.

In a video circulating on social media, Abdulkareem said the offer came after the release of the politically charged song, which has since been banned by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

The musician alleged that the caller, who claimed ties to government circles, contacted him with promises of covert financial backing for his activism.

“So I got a call from one criminal who claimed to be a honourable; he didn’t even allow me to hear his name. After claiming to be a honourable, at the end of the call when I asked him what his name was, he claimed to be a senator,” he said.

“He told me that he was in a meeting yesterday with Seyi (a son to President Bola Tinubu), and some government officials. He said, ‘They are going to call you and bribe you, don’t listen to them, we are going to be sponsoring you underground’. I then asked him, ‘who told you that I need anything’?”

Abdulkareem said he rejected the offer outright, questioning the caller’s motives.

“Immediately I heard his voice, I knew he was sent by them. So, I told him I was not interested. He said, ‘We will give you N200m, don’t even listen to them’. So, I asked him, the video I shot, was it you who sponsored me underground?

“You guys should go and rest somewhere, I am not interested. Thieves, may God punish all of you. It’s me that you guys want to record for caricature; you people are insane. I have prepared for you people a long time ago,” he added.

The NBC’s ban on Tell Your Papa, which openly criticizes political leadership and the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, has stirred significant backlash from rights groups and music industry bodies.

The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) cautioned that the move could be counterproductive.

“It only serves to amplify the song’s reach and relevance in light of the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigerians,” a statement from the association read.