Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has accused veteran musician, Eedris Abdulkareem of resorting to blackmail after failing to extort money from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The controversy began on Tuesday when the rapper dropped ‘Jaga Jaga’ reloaded, a remix of his 2004 hit of the same title but featuring Mr. Raw and Madarocker.
On the track, he condemned the issue of police brutality, condemned the current administration citing the worsening conditions in Nigeria and also lamented the infamous Lekki killings of October 10, 2020.
The rapper also called out the minister in the track accusing him of corruption, however, the line that irked the minister went, “Where Festus Keyamo sef? He don dey chop with cabal o”.
Responding, Keyamo took to his Twitter page, revealing that Eedris begged for money and was desperate in 2018 to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign.
He described Abdulkareem’s action as a cheap blackmail after the latter didn’t succeed in extorting him and other top government functionaries.
The Minkster stated;
Eedris Abdulkareem just released a song, ‘jagajaga reloaded’, where he waxed the following lyrics, “where Festus Keyamo sef? He don dey chop with cabal o.
I laughed out so loud and even danced to the rhythm too. But there’s a small story behind this poor attempt at blackmail.
1.) Eedris Abdulkareem just released a song, ‘jagajaga reloaded’, where he waxed the following lyrics, “where Festus Keyamo sef? He don dey chop with cabal o”. I laughed out so loud and even danced to the rhythm too. But there’s a small story behind this poor attempt at blackmail
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) April 24, 2021
The minister backed his claims with screenshots of text message exchanges between himself and the rapper which he shared in a series of posts on his verified social media handles.
He expressed;
In 2018, when I was named the Director of Strategic Communications for the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Eedris waxed a song in support of Buhari & wanted to join us, albeit for a fee. He then made desperate efforts to see me through text messages from his phone no. 07019691772.
2.) In 2018, when I was named the Director of Strategic Communications for Buhari Campaign Organisation Eedris waxed a song in support of Buhari & wanted to join us, albeit for a fee. He then made desperate efforts to see me through text messages from his phone no. 07019691772👇 pic.twitter.com/rpCh8uwVLB
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) April 24, 2021
When I finally met with him, I listened to the songs but told him I had no budget for such or any for that matter.
I explained that my job was voluntary. It was the same thing I told so many other so-called activists-by-day and hustlers-at-night who secretly approached me.
Keyamo said Abdulkareem then switched to the fact that he wanted a loan to pay for his hotel bills to the tune of N1.3 million and to cater for his ‘sick mum,’ saying “that was already running into more than N3m”.
He added;
However, one government functionary called me to say he told him another story that his child was sick.
4.) He then switched to the fact that he wanted a loan to pay for his hotel bills to the tune of N1.3 m & to cater for his ‘sick mum’. That was already running into more than N3m. However, one govt functionary called me to say he told him another story that his child was sick 👇 pic.twitter.com/0v6mvyyvTy
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) April 24, 2021
Keyamo further spoke;
He begged me to introduce him to (Abubakar) Malami (AGF), (Rotimi) Amaechi & the (SGF) Secretary to the Government of the Federation and to paint a good ‘PR’ for him. He pledged that he was with us in the campaign with his whole ‘body and soul’. But at this point, I knew he was a desperate hustler who could embarrass me, so I ghosted him.
Shortly after this episode when he could not penetrate the system to get the money he so desperately wanted, he then endorsed Atiku (Abubakar) and called Buhari a ‘fraudster’. But we decided to ignore his weak voice of opposition.
According to Keyamo, Eedris has since been criticizing him and the government, saying;
After our victory, he went berserk and joined every protests against the same Buhari whom he wanted to serve with his whole ‘body and soul’, but needed money to do so. He has been mentioning my name specifically at occasions as if I am the cause of all his troubles in life.
Now, the latest is the ‘jagajaga reloaded’ that he has waxed to vent his frustrations at not getting into the system. His reference to me as ‘chopping’ reminds me of the gaffe of then Minister Sunday Afolabi who infamously said Bola Ige was invited to government to ‘come and chop’!
Keyamo went ahead to advise critics of Buhari government who think he is in power to ‘chop’, adding that his appointment is an honour to serve Nigeria to make a difference.
The musician was yet respond to the allegations as at the time of filing this report.
