Eedris Abdulkareem Song: Wole Soyinka Reacts To NBC Ban

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has reacted to the ban by the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) of a protest song by Nigerian musician, Eedris Abdulkareem.

The respected Nigerian author and poet, spoke via a statement issued from New York University, Abu Dhabi, on Sunday.

According to him, “It is not only the allegedly offensive record that should be banned — the musician himself should be proscribed.

“Next, PMAN, or whatever musical association of which Abdulkareem is a member, should also go under the hammer.”

Soyinka said even though he hadn’t listened to the song, he emphasised that the issue transcends content and concerns a fundamental democratic principle.

“It cannot be flouted. That, surely is basic. This is why I feel that we should look on the bright side of any picture and thus recommend the Aleshinloye cartoon — and others in allied vein — as an easy-to-apprehend, easy-to-digest summation of the wisdom of attempting to stifle unpalatable works of art or socio-political commentary,” he said.

He also pointed out the irony that censorship often benefits the targeted artist, noting that “Abdulkareem must be currently warbling his merry way all the way to the bank.”

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“We have been through this before, over and over again, ad nauseum. We know where it all ends.

“It is boring, time-wasting, diversionary but most essential of all, subversive of all seizures of the fundamental right of free expression,” the literary icon said.

“It is not only the allegedly offensive record that should be banned – the musician himself should be proscribed. Next, PMAN, or whatever musical association of which Abdulkareem is member, should also go under the hammer”, the Nobel laureate said.

There has been controversy over the protest song: ‘Tell Your Papa’, by Eedris Abdulkareem, of which the government of President Bola Tinubu is uncomfortable with, with the NBC, a federal government parastatal eventually placing a ban on it.