Eedris Abdulkareem tackles President Tinubu, Adeboye in ‘Emi Lokan’ single

A few weeks ago, he was in the news for identifying himself as the pacesetter for Afrobeats.

Controversial as he has always been, Eedris Abdulkareem has used his music to address Nigeria’s societal ills.

Famous for his song ‘Jaga Jaga’, released in 2004 during Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime as president of Nigeria, Eedris’s latest song ‘Emi Lo Kan’ doesn’t spare Tinubu’s regime.

In 2023, 19 years after he released ‘Jaga Jaga’, he dropped a remix, ‘Lords of Jaga Jaga’, wherein he tackled ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Obasanjo.

The 50-year-old rapper has taken a swipe at the President and the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, with his just released single “Emi Lokan.”

President Tinubu said the now famous Yoruba phrase ‘Emi Lokan’, which means “It is my turn” while campaigning to delegates in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, during the build-up to the APC presidential convention.

To the President

Eedris starts rapping on this note: “Emi lokan don turn ebi lokan”. The phrase emi lokan was synonymous with Tinubu’s presidential election era—a statement he made during one of his many campaigns. Emi lokan means “it is my turn.”

How, then, does it turn to “Ebi Lokan” as sung by Eedris’. Ebi Lokan means “it’s hunger time”, a reality Nigerians in Nigeria have been experiencing day in and day out since the day after President Tinubu’s swearing-in on 29 May 2023.

Going further, he raps, saying, “Yorubas are screaming ‘Ebi Pa Wa’, Hausas are screaming ‘Muna Jin Yunwa’, Igbos are saying ‘E Nor Concern Us”. All of these are to bolster the hunger and hardship that has hit the nation and the divide it’s served.

He also highlighted a claim on the discrimination of the Igbos as he raps, “Don’t blame them, Igbos are being discriminated against”. The first three words, “Don’t blame them,” come from the assertion of Igbos being unconcerned about the ongoing hardship in the nation, thus following up on his statement about Igbos being discriminated against.

He continues rapping, “Even food don turn to gold in Nigeria”, emphasising how expensive it is to afford food today. Furthermore, he raps “kidnapping, lucrative business in Nigeria”. He goes on to paint a mental picture of what would be if the president’s grandchildren were kidnapped: “Imagine say na your grandchildren wey Dem kidnap, by now your soldiers for don scatter Nigeria”.

All of the above, he addressed what he termed “The sluggish unconcern of the presidency to food scarcity, insecurity and the lives of Nigerians in general”.

Eedris Abdulkareem

Pastor Adeboye

In another verse, Eedris reminds Pastor Adeboye of how he spoke against injustice during Goodluck Jonathan’s government. He raps, “Where is our daddy, Pastor Adeboye? During Goodluck Jonathan[‘s regime], your voice was so loud.”

He also reminded him of how he proposed to lead a protest against Mr Jonathan’s government at the time: “You even vowed to stage a one-million-man march.”

Eedris also accused the clergyman of being hypocritical in this era of hardship under Tinubu’s government “Hunger and hardship under Tinubu government; you say Nigeria get spiritual problems”, he raps.

Furthermore, he implores the clergyman to enact his one-million-man protest: “Baba, we need your one million disciples to protest against President Tinubu’s government just like you protested against President Jonathan”. He ends it with a sarcastic rhetorical question: “Daddy, abi legs don dey pain your disciples?”

Reactions

The reactions to this song posted on his Instagram account @abdulkareemeedris have been one that aligns in agreement. One @mr_remarkable01 wrote, “One thing I love about your songs is that it never fades until Nigeria is good, but I don’t think it will; they swear for our leaders”.

Another reactor, @e_gold_money00, wrote, “best song right now”. Yet another reaction by @tbounce_: “The only man with the VOICE OF THE TRILLIONS. Na mouth others get.”

While mixed reactions have trailed the controversial single, his fans applaud him for staying true to his style of music and the unhidden truth he serves.

Another school of thought says the single might be a redemption from the backlash he got weeks ago for crowning himself the forerunner of Afrobeats, a claim that earned him a lot of flak.

But responding to his critics, the outspoken rapper said ‘Emi Lo Kan’ is a heartfelt concern and not just a quest for social relevance or media publicity.