The Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has slammed a Not-To-Be-Broadcast (NTTB) warning on Olamide‘s latest single “#ScienceStudent“.
According to Nigerian Tribune, the warning was served to all radio and television stations over the week.
Confirming the news, NBC’s Head of Public Affairs Hajia Maimuna Jihada told Tribune that the song was not out-rightly banned but prohibited from being played on local stations for public consumption. She said:
NBC does not ban music. Our mandate is on what goes on Radio and TV. Olamide’s Science Student has been declared ‘Unfit for broadcast’.
She further went on to mention that the song’s subtle promotion of illegal drugs was the main reason for declaring it unlawful as she issued a stern warning to all broadcasting houses;
We have communicated all our licensees for compliance or they will face sanctions.
Often called King of the Street, Olamide engages his own indigenous tongue in what may be considered a subtle and metaphorical description of the different ways in which drugs and substance are being abused in the streets of Lagos. He mentions the use of prohibited drugs such as Codeine, Tramadol, illicit substances such as Monkey tail, Skushi, Shisha, Alomoterming, referring to those who use and mix them as Science Students. This classical attribution follows what science students do in the laboratory, which is mixing chemicals.
Though, Olamide appears to reveal these activities in his song using expressions such as ashiri eko otituloju ewe, ashiritu, (the revealing of secrets), by singing about drugs and judging by the general ambience, not to mention the kind of visuals that would entail this song.
Source: Tribune
