Eedris Abdulkareem’s ‘Jagajaga Reloaded’, a product of blackmail
Minister of State, Labour & Employment, Festus Keyamo, has accused singer Eedris Abdulkareem, of attempting to blackmail him using his latest release, ‘Jagajaga Reloaded’, whilst using the whole drama as an advantage to gain attention from the public.
Abdulkareem, in his new song, ‘Jagajaga Reloaded’ had disparaged Key Amo through his lyrics, “Where Festus Keyamo sef? He don’t dey chop with cabal o”.
The Minister took to Twitter to narrate his ordeal with Eedris while spilling his private conversations with the singer. The shared screenshots showed that Eedris begged Keyamo for money, likewise connection to boost his PR, of which the Minister relented when he noticed Abdulkareem was a ‘hustler’. He described the singer’s action as cheap blackmail after the latter didn’t succeed in extorting money from him and other top government officials.
”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”, Keyamo tweeted and went on to reveal the ‘story’.
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.
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
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.
He begged me to introduce him to Malami (AGF), Amaechi & the SGF 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.
After our victory, he went berserk and joined every protest 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 on 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 Govt to ‘come and chop’!
Keyamo went ahead to advise critics of Buhari’s government who think he is in power to ‘chop’. He said serving Nigeria is an honorable position and he aims to make a difference with his appointment.
I wish to assure Eedris and any who think being in Govt is tantamount to ‘chopping’, that for some of us (I can’t speak for others) it is just an honour to serve our country and an attempt to move from armchair criticism to a real participant in order to make a difference.
Finally, we can all sit back and enjoy the ‘jagajaga reloaded’. One of the objectives of the song is to call me out since I ghosted him for attempted extortion – he has now succeeded. Another objective is to help promote the song by my reaction – that he has also achieved!” Keyamo wrote.
