Irked by President Bola Tinubu’s decision to sign National Anthem Bill 2024 into law, a former Minister of Education, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, has said she will not embrace the old national anthem.
Reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the bill on her X handle on Wednesday, Ezekwesili insisted that no law can force her to do away with the old national anthem, adding that she would not be part of what she described as “obnoxious law” set up to force Nigerians into accepting the country’s new national anthem.
“Let it be known to all and sundry that I, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, will, whenever asked to sing the Nigerian National Anthem, sing:
“1. Arise, O compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey
“To serve our fatherland
“With love and strength and faith
“The labour of our heroes past
“Shall never be in vain
“To serve with heart and might
“One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.”
She added, “2. Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause
“Guide our leader’s right
“Help our youth the truth to know
“In love and honesty to grow
“And living just and true
“Great lofty heights attain
“To build a nation where peace and justice reign, the ex-minister added
It would be recalled that the Senate passed the legislation to swap the national from “Arise O Compatriots” to “Nigeria we hail thee.”
Akpabio noted that the session’s primary purpose was to launch the new anthem, and President Tinubu would not be delivering a speech as he had to proceed to launch the Abuja metro line.
The decision to revert to the old anthem was reached after both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed the legislation in separate sittings. ”
Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” originally composed at the time of Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, will replace “Arise, O Compatriots.”The lyrics of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” were penned by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate living in Nigeria during its independence, and the music was composed by Frances Berda.
It remains to be seen how Nigerians intend to adhere to this sudden change, which has continued to send tongues wagging in every facet of Nigerian sectors with the new anthem.
