The return of Nigeria’s old national anthem has stirred reactions among social media users, as many of them took to their platforms to question President Bola Tinubu‘s decision to sign the Nigerian National Anthem Bill into law.
The signing of the bill aims to reinstate the former national anthem ‘Nigeria, We hail Thee’ as the official anthem of the country.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio made this announcement on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at a joint session of the National Assembly celebrating the 25th anniversary of Nigeria’s 4th Republic. The occasion coincided with the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The National Anthem Bill 2024 has been approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
However, the choice to return to the previous anthem has ignited widespread debate and disapproval, with prominent figures and citizens expressing their apprehensions regarding the emphasis placed on the National anthem in light of Nigeria’s urgent socio-economic challenges.
The former Minister of Education, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, has said that she would not revert to the old national anthem, newly signed by President Bola Tinubu as the country’s new anthem.
According to her, no one can suppress her right to dissent from what she described as an “obnoxious law” repugnant to all who are of good conscience in Nigeria.
Oseni Rufai, a television journalist, also observed the disparity between the restoration of the anthem and the urgent economic difficulties faced by the nation.
Rufai’s tweet read thus; “Tomato is scarce yet senate is passing the bill on the old national anthem. Can they talk about food inflation please and other issues that affect Nigerians?”.
Citizens of Nigeria were also not left out as they took to their various accounts on the X platform to query the latest move of the senate with many describing it as a “misplaced priority”. Here are their reactions below;
@Oladapomikky1 tweeted: “How will these solve the problems of hunger, insecurity, bad roads, out-of-school children? “Imagine their priority at a time like this is to change the national anthem. Directionless, unreasonable, and completely jobless.”
@PetrNuba tweeted: “Misplaced priorities.”
What To Know
During separate sessions, the bill to alter the national anthem from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” was previously endorsed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The bill to restore the former national anthem received approval from the President, leading the joint session to replace the anthem in use since 1978 with the original “Nigeria, we hail thee” as the official anthem.
The national anthem of Nigeria, “Nigeria, we hail thee,” which was initially created to commemorate Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, has now replaced the previous anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots.”
Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria during its independence, penned the lyrics for “Nigeria, we hail thee,” while Frances Berda composed the music.
The anthem played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s national identity and unity during the 1960s and late 1970s.
