Recently Nigerian musician and social critic, Eedris Abdulkareem stirred up the hornet’s nest when he dominated the headlines over the ban of his new release ‘Tell your Papa.’ In the music, he criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government for throwing the nation into economic and social crises.

Abdulkareem, known for criticising bad governance, has for a period spanning over twenty years used his music to reflect on the state of the nation and point out faults and misdeeds of individuals or groups in government. So when “Tell Your Papa” hit the airwaves it was not surprising to the Nigerian public as they enjoyed and danced to it nostalgically. But the federal government was not comfortable with the message of the music. This development again put the musician at loggerheads with the-powers-that-be.Then came the hammer from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), swiftly banning ‘Tell your Papa’ from radio and television airwaves. The NBC cited powers it claimed to derive from Section 3:1.8 of the National Broadcasting Code, which empowers it to issue bans on abusive content.But pundits insist that the section cited by NBC no longer exists, with the only similar provision now found under Section 30:2.7.This section of the Code reads: ‘A programme or musical content classified as ‘Not To Be Broadcast’ (NTBB) shall not be broadcast.’ This appears, however, to be an arbitrary power inserted into the Code without any clear legal backing or justification.The song, according to a memo dated April 9 2025 and signed by Susan Obi, the coordinating director, broadcast monitoring, was deemed to be in violation of Section 3:1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.Justifying the ban the NBC said it considered the song’s content to be ‘inappropriate’ and ‘objectionable,” saying it violated public decency standards on broadcast platforms. The commission advised stations to ‘exercise discretion’ and avoid airing the song to maintain ‘responsible broadcasting standards.’ According to the statement, “The National Broadcasting Commission has identified the song ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Abdulkareem, as content deemed inappropriate for broadcast due to its objectionable nature.Abdulkareem’s depiction of the current sufferings in the country may have infuriated the presidency about the fast-deteriorating living conditions in the country. The song highlights galloping inflation, rising crime, and worsening insecurity. ‘Tell your Papa Country hard.’ While accusing the president of implementing anti-people policies, with food prices, data costs, and school fees escalating, he urged him to look into the plight of Nigeria’s urban and rural poor. Thus, the government’s response banning the song from broadcast on radio and television stations nationwide was like killing the mosquito with a sledgehammer, thus further demonstrating the president’s increasing intolerance of criticism since assuming power.A cross-section of Nigerians view the ban as an affront to freedom of speech and a violation of the people’s rights to know. It is obvious that the song hit the federal government below the belt and perhaps what sparked the release of the now banned music could be the recent comments made by Seyi Tinubu publicly praising his father as the greatest Nigerian leader of all time.Abdulkareem did not take Seyi’s encomium on his father lightly. In his usual blunt style, he released the song in response, telling the younger Tinubu to “go and tell your papa” that Nigerians are not smiling at all. He has criticized several government policies past and present, particularly the controversial removal of fuel subsidies. Since the subsidy was removed, millions of Nigerians have felt the pang in their pockets – rising cost of transport fares, skyrocketing food prices and a general increase in the cost of living.Using the Cybercrimes Act, the government appears determined to silence critics, rather than addressing citizens’ genuine concerns about bad governance. Protests against government policies are frequently clamped down on. The planned peaceful protest by the Take It Back Movement in March was forcibly broken up in Port Harcourt, Abuja, and Lagos. Human rights advocates are increasingly alarmed by Nigeria’s descent into intolerance and authoritarianism under the Tinubu administrationAbdulkareem, a notable Nigerian rapper and former member of the hip-hop group – The Remedies. Known for his fearless voice and politically conscious lyrics, rose to national prominence in the early 2000s. After the group’s breakup in 2002.A true veteran of the Nigerian music scene, his journey encompasses several distinct chapters, each leaving a lasting mark.In 2022, the musician had a health challenge – kidney failure. Fortunately, he received a transplant from his wife in 2023. This experience shaped his recent music, with songs like ‘Thank You’ reflecting gratitude and ‘Ghetto Soldier’ highlighting resilience.DAILY ASSET posits that the government ought to have known that the era of silencing dissecting voices in the creative industry is over, due to several new media platforms to air contents all over the world whose servers are beyond the control of the Nigerian government.Moreover, the ban is a spark to further popularize Abdulkareem, his past and present music which might propel him a notch higher as a serial critic of bad governance in Nigeria through his musicAlso, Abdulkareem’s style of music reflects the frustration many Nigerians are facing as he questions how a president can be celebrated as great when the Nigerian people are suffering and starving. The ban is indeed a pointer to the increasing notoriety for intolerance and human rights violations by the nation’s political leadership.The current clampdown on opposition is a serious source of concern because the oxygen of constitutional democracy is freedom of expression and the right to ventilate one’s views. Gagging critics, intimidating opposition and suppressing freedom of expression, is definitely not the way to go.

In concrete terms, the National Assembly is supposed to be the bastion of the nation’s democracy or what political pundits refer to as the engine of the constitutional system of government. In other words, without the National Assembly there is no democracy. With the return of democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria has had ten consecutive legislatures spanning a period of 26 years.

Nigeria operates a Bi-cameral legislature; made up of two Independent Chambers; the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Despite teething problems – ranging from the removal of various Senate Presidents and Speakers since the commencement of 4th Republic in 1999, the National Assembly could be described as a baby learning how to crawl, stand and walk in the 26 years of its existence.

Of course, initially the excuse was that Nigeria was still a nascent democracy. The Nigerian Parliament right from inception had robust and historic developments which date back to the colonial and post-colonial independence but from whichever angle one looks at it, the 4th Republic has a huge legislative responsibility to perform its role as the foremost representatives of the Nigerian people by conscientiously performing its oversight functions and carrying out its core mandate.

Not only that, the lawmakers must not operate as if they are rubber stamps to the  executive. By and large, the Senate as the upper chamber of Nigeria’s bicameral legislature is the nation’s legislature and has the power to make laws, as summarized in chapter one, section four of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

The Senate, referred to as the Red Chamber, is made up of 109 Senators representing three Senatorial Districts of each of the 36 states of the federation. Membership of the Chamber is based on equal representation. It is led by the Senate President and his Deputy (President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate) as well as principal officers namely Senate Leader and his Deputy, Minority Leader and his Deputy, Chief Whip and his Deputy as well as Minority Whip and his Deputy.

While the House of Representatives also known as the Green Chamber is made up of 360 Federal Representatives. Each member represents one Federal Constituency of Nigeria. The number of Constituencies per State varies since population strength is the criteria used to determine the number of each State’s Federal Constituencies.

The Green Chamber is led by the Speaker and assisted by the Deputy Speaker along with eight Principal Officers that include Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.

The National Assembly is constitutionally vested with several functions. Prominent among them are lawmaking, representation, oversight and a host of others. Accordingly, the apex parliament operates the committee system. Both chambers of the nation’s highest law-making body appoint members into its Special and Standing Committees. The committees have the role of studying and researching Bills, Motions and other Legislative proposals referred to it and report its findings to the Whole Chamber.

Essentially, the major function of the Parliament, apart from its oversight functions, is to ensure that there are checks and balances within the executive and judiciary arms of government. Which is why the parliamentarian is expected to conduct himself or herself with the highest decorum, responsibility and integrity, but unfortunately the 10th Senate under the presidency Godswill Akpabio is shrouded in controversies, mudslinging, unnecessary bickering and wranglings an unfortunate development which has painted the red chamber in bad light and by extension the entire National Assembly.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the Senate would readily come to mind for explicit sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Akpoti-Uduaghan before her suspension from the Senate told the world how Senator Akpobio allegedly made inappropriate and suggestive remarks and gestures towards her in the presence of other senators and her husband.

The Nigerian Senate, apparently not wanting to be distracted or bogged down by the tantrums, has since shrugged off the heat generated by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six months suspension from the Senate and her far- reaching accusations against Senator Akpabio, with a vote of confidence. But the crisis in the Senate persists, the latest being the move by some so called concerned Kogi citizens and women groups to recall Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

However, her suspension has raised legal debates within Nigeria’s political establishment. With past judicial rulings against prolonged suspensions, her case raises important questions about the limits of the Senate’s disciplinary powers, the protection of lawmakers’ rights, and the broader implications for democratic governance.

Apart from suspending Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, the upper chamber also withdrew her security aides, locked her Senate office, suspended her salary and allowances, and banned her from entering the National Assembly premises. Critics questioned whether her punishment was merely a disciplinary action or a politically motivated attempt to silence her.

DAILY ASSET is of the opinion that the unending crisis in the Senate about sexual harassment and bribery allegations – following the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers state – are enough distractions to prevent the lawmakers from performing their duties, a setback which is not good for the nation’s fledgling democracy. It is high time the Senate took its mandate of truly representing the electorate more seriously.

It is extremely troubling that despite the many efforts put in place by both the federal and state governments to give some succour to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country, the situation in their camps has remained very pathetic and precarious. It is degenerating into humanitarian crisis of major proportion, if adequate steps are not taken to arrest the situation.

The number of IDPs in North Central States are: Benue 183,201, Kogi 16,043, Kwara 5,338, Nasarawa 11,051, Niger State 17,054 and Plateau State 133,302.

In the North-East States are: Adamawa 138,385, Bauchi 53,081, Borno 1,444,971, Gombe 21,087, Taraba 49,232 and Yobe 143,974.

In the North-West States are: Jigawa 15,414, Kaduna 214,272, Kano 15,414, Katsina 43,969, Kebbi 3,340, Sokoto 12,672 and Zamfara 125,506.

The figures are from the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) reports published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Nigeria that monitors displacement and population mobility in March 2024, and the numbers might have increased since then.

In most states, herdsmen attacks on farmers, banditry and terrorists killings trigger the displacement of indigenes, a reality that seems to be overstretching the security agencies but which must be tackled frontally.

The questions to ask are: Why has it been impossible for the security agencies to keep these bandits terrorizing innocent citizens in their communities at bay?  Why are the steps being taken from time to time to end the crisis not yielding positive results?

In a move to change the pitiable situation of IDPs, the Borno state government on 25, February 2024 began the closure of all informal camps for IDPs in Maiduguri and its environs with a plan to close all the camps in due course. At a ceremony during the official closure of the Kawar Maila camp in Maiduguri Governor Babagana Zulum said it had become necessary to close all camps and return thousands of people displaced by the conflict in north-east Nigeria to their ancestral homes to reduce their dependency on government and non-governmental organisations. Thus the state has closed most of the official camps in Maiduguri and its environs.

Following the closure of the camps, the governor relocated some people from the Kawar Maila camp to the newly constructed 500 housing estate in Dalori town in Konduga Local Government Area. The new estate is equipped with a hospital, school and irrigation facilities to re-engage the returnees.

The Borno state government, with assistance from international development partners has been supporting the return of more IDPs from various camps in the state to their respective homes.

This Borno initiative is helping to decongest overcrowded settlements that have degraded the quality of lives in the camps.

The federal government should move swiftly to assist the states to resettle IDPs back to their ancestral homes.  Recall that in 2018, the then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo pledged that the federal government would spend 10 billion Naira to rebuild houses for people displaced by herdsmen in Benue State. The pledge was made during his visit to the IDPs camp at Abagena, near Makurdi, in Benue state. He said the funds were approved to rebuild destroyed areas in Benue and other states affected by the crisis. It is not known how much of these funds have so far been released and utilized for the intended purpose.

DAILY ASSET is of the view that since IDPs are no doubt experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis in the country, federal and state governments should step up their strategies to give the victims a sense of belonging. Additionally, it is very crucial for global actors, policy makers and humanitarian organizations to collaborate and ensure the protection and provision of the needs of IDPs. This demands a comprehensive and multifaceted approach that should address the root causes of the crisis and bring an end to IDPs in the country.