Nigeria ignited a national debate this week after President Bola Tinubu signed a law reinstating the country’s pre-independence anthem, “Nigeria We Hail Thee,” replacing the anthem used since 1978.
The swift passage of the bill, within a week by the ruling party-dominated National Assembly, sparked criticism of a lack of transparency and public engagement.
The current anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” was adopted by the military government in 1978 following the country’s brutal civil war.
Its lyrics emphasize national unity and sacrifice.
“Nigeria We Hail Thee,” penned by a British expatriate during colonial times, became the target of criticism for its use of terms like “Native Land” and “Tribes,” seen by some as outdated and potentially divisive.
While President Tinubu and his supporters view the switch as a symbolic return to Nigeria’s pre-military past, critics like former minister Oby Ezekwesili argue it reflects a disregard for public opinion.
They criticize the rushed passage of the law and the colonial-era connotations of the reinstated anthem.
Public affairs analyst Frank Tietie defends the change, arguing that the previous anthem, introduced by the military, lacked legitimacy.
However, many Nigerians, including Ezekwesili, have declared they will not sing the new anthem.
Social media buzzes with discontent, highlighting a national divide over the unexpected shift in national symbolism.
The controversy underscores the complex relationship between Nigeria’s past, present, and desired future.
It remains to be seen if the reinstated anthem will foster unity or further widen the social and political fissures within the nation.
