How Eedris Abdulkareem’s ‘Jaga Jaga’ Sparked a Clash With Obasanjo—and Echoed Again Under Tinubu
Eedris Abdulkareem’s 2004 protest anthem, “Jaga Jaga”, turned frustrations over corruption, poverty, insecurity and poor governance into a nationwide musical conversation. Its blunt message drew the attention of then-President Olusegun Obasanjo and was reportedly restricted from radio airplay, even as it remained popular on the streets and in clubs. Obasanjo later condemned the song publicly, arguing that describing Nigeria in such terms was an attack on the country. Abdulkareem saw the response differently: proof that his criticism had reached those in power. The dispute raised a lasting question about whether confronting a country’s failures is unpatriotic or necessary. The rapper had already used songs such as “Mr Lecturer” to address sexual harassment in universities, and later released music about hardship, corruption and inequality. In 2025, his protest song “Tell Your Papa”, which criticised economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, was also directed off Nigerian radio and television stations by the NBC. More than two decades after “Jaga Jaga”, the song remains part of Nigeria’s political and musical history, reflecting enduring public anger over economic hardship, insecurity and accountability.
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