Veteran Nigerian singer and activist Eedris Abdulkareem has publicly shown support for social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), following his recent arrest.
While performing at a recent event, the legendary artiste paused his set to rally the audience in demanding the release of the detained activist. In a viral video circulating online, Eedris called on fans to raise their phone torches and chant “Free VDM” repeatedly, a call the energized crowd eagerly obeyed.
The outspoken musician, who’s no stranger to controversy, used the moment to criticize the government’s growing intolerance of dissent. He lamented the rising cost of living in the country, pointing to the soaring prices of essential items like data and rice, while accusing authorities of silencing citizens for speaking out.
Eedris remarked that Nigerians weren’t asking for too much, only the basics, and condemned the government for focusing on trivial matters instead of addressing pressing national issues.
This show of solidarity comes after the recent diss track of Eedris Abdulkareem was banned from radio and television, a move which VeryDarkMan publicly opposed. VDM had pledged to sponsor a remix of the song and feature in its video, while slamming authorities for wasting resources on censorship amid more serious problems facing the nation.
The incident has since intensified online conversations about freedom of expression and government accountability in Nigeria.
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