By Ken Afor
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during a meeting with the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, has reportedly explained why he signed the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law which paved the way for the reinstatement of the old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”
According to Tinubu, this move is a priority for his administration, because it is driven by the need to preserve and celebrate Nigeria’s rich diversity.
He emphasized that the country’s diverse population should be seen as a strength, rather than a burden.
While acknowledging that the decision was ultimately made by the National Assembly, Tinubu expressed his commitment to upholding the rule of law and promoting unity and inclusivity in Nigeria.
He said: “Let me allude to something that happened yesterday. The change of national anthem, ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’.
“Some people say, okay… say what? Is that your priority? It’s my priority. I agree with the national assembly. If they make law, I’ve got to obey that law, or we disagree openly and close the chapter.”
“But the question of diversity. Who gave us the name Nigeria? Is it not Britain? Or somewhere? Have we changed our name? We are Nigerians. Our passport shows that.
“As long as we are Nigerians and one family, we remain and protect our diversity and love one another as brothers and sisters.
“It is God Almighty that puts you in that particular place and makes you a member of that family. You have no control over it.
“When I came begging for votes, I didn’t say vote for me as a Yoruba man, I said vote for me as Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
It would be recalled that in 2022, Tinubu had in an interview expressed his desire to reinstate the original national anthem if he has the opportunity to do so.
On Wednesday, the National Anthem Bill 2024, was signed into law and the old anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” became a national symbol.
However, the move sparked a divided response from Nigerians and prominent figures celebrities, who questioned the government’s priorities given the numerous pressing issues, including economic hardship, facing the nation.
Many wondered why the national anthem was a focus when more pressing concerns needed attention.
Mr. Reno Omokri, an aide to former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, criticised the federal government for reverting to the pre-independence national anthem, describing it as a regressive move that erodes the country’s sovereignty and national identity.
Omokri in a post shared on his Instagram account on Wednesday expressed dismay that Nigeria would discard the indigenous “Arise, O Compatriots” anthem written by a collective of young Nigerians in 1978, in favour of lyrics penned by British poet Lillian Jean Williams decades earlier.
“If I look sad in the attached photo, it is for a reason. My heart is very heavy about Nigeria right now because, in my opinion, we just took a giant step backwards in our national journey,” Omokri wrote in a widely-shared social media post.
