How I Terminated Obasanjo’s Investment Trip In Europe—Eedris Abdulkareem
OpenLife Nigeria reports that Nigerian music veteran Eedris Abdulkareem has shared a detailed account of his encounter with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, tracing it back to the controversy surrounding his song “Nigeria Jagajaga.”
According to the rapper, the situation first came to his attention in an unexpected way. “I was sleeping one day and I received a call from someone saying, ‘Put on your TV, Obasanjo is talking about you.’ I was like, really? What did I do?” he said.
Out of curiosity, he turned on the television and was met with strong criticism from the country’s leader. “I was hearing Obasanjo say that he loves songs like ‘If you push me I will push you,’ he loves songs like ‘He go better,’ but there is one stupid boy that sang ‘Nigeria Jagajaga,’ it’s his father and his mother that are Jagajaga,” Eedris recounted.
Rather than feeling discouraged, he saw the moment differently. “I was so happy that my message got to the President,” he added.
Months later, their paths crossed in Europe under very different circumstances. Obasanjo had traveled with state governors to engage potential foreign investors, while Eedris received an invitation from a German diplomat to perform at an event the President was expected to attend.
“My friend, a German ambassador, reached out to me and said, ‘Eedris, I want you to come and perform at one of the events where your President is coming.’ I said, ‘Great,’ and entered Europe too,” he explained.
The atmosphere at the event took a surprising turn during his performance slot. “It was my time to perform. The MC announced that a talented musician, Eedris Abdulkareem, will be coming on stage. Before I got to the stage, the DJ had started playing my song ‘Jagajaga,’” he said.
At first, there was no sign of tension. “At that moment, OBJ didn’t even know it was ‘Jagajaga.’ He had started shaking his body and dancing to it,” Eedris noted.
The situation changed almost instantly once recognition set in. “Few minutes later, it dawned on him that the song being played was the same ‘Nigeria Jagajaga’ song he had once rebuked. He said, ‘Eeeeh,’ got upset immediately and travelled back to Nigeria without finishing his foreign investors assignment,” he added.
For Eedris, the episode remains a striking reminder of how music can travel beyond borders and provoke reactions in the most unexpected settings.
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