President Bola Tinubu has signed into law the bill reverting to the old national anthem, “Nigeria, we hail thee”.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, disclosed this on Wednesday at a joint session of the National Assembly marking the Silver Jubilee Of Nigeria’s 4th Republic.
the Senate on Tuesday passed the bill, waiting for the assenting of the President to become a law.
The old anthem, ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ composed when Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960, was replaced with the ‘Arise O’ Compatriots’ version in 1978.
The bill sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, (Ekiti Central), enjoyed overwhelming support from the lawmakers at the Tuesday plenary.
The lawmakers, in supporting the bill, argued that it would promote better symbol for unity, peace and prosperity, compared to the current one.
Emerging from a close-door session to debate on the bill, the senators noted that the current national anthem was a product of the military junta, decreed by the military and should, therefore, give way to the independence anthem, which captures national values, ethics and norms.
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Lillian Jean Williams, a British citizen, who lived in Nigeria prior to independence, wrote 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.
“Upon rendition, the old anthem inspired deep patriotism among Nigerians. Those who lived through that era recognised its crucial role in our nation’s history, evoking nostalgia and fond memories of our early years,” Bamidele said.
On Monday, the Senate began a public hearing on an Act to provide for the National Anthem of Nigeria and related matters.
Senator Bamidele, who represented the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio at the hearing, said the second stanza of the existing national anthem shall be the national prayer.
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