Tinubu signs Old National Anthem bill into law. The old national anthem is themed: ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee.’
By Emma Ogbuehi
President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Anthem bill seeking to return the old national anthem ‘Nigeria, We hail thee’ into law.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio announced this on Wednesday, May 29, at a joint session of the National Assembly marking the Silver Jubilee of Nigeria’s 4th Republic.
The Senate on Tuesday passed the bill seeking to reintroduce the old national anthem.
The upper legislative chamber passed the bill after considering a report by Tahir Monguno, chair of the judiciary committee.
The old national anthem is themed: ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’.
While presenting his report, Monguno said his committee disagreed with the position of Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), that the process to change the anthem should be subjected to a wider process.
“The proposed bill is important,” the Borno senator said.
Thereafter, the Senate considered clauses of the bill and passed it.
Last week, the House of Representatives speedily passed the bill, but it only scaled second reading in the Senate.
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Majority of the lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly spoke in favour of the bill when they debated on its general principles.
While debating the bill last week, Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, said an anthem is supposed to be motivational, adding that the current one is anything but emotive.
“The old one we are seeking to bring back is one that evokes emotions,” Umeh said.
“A national anthem is supposed to be motivational. There is no motivation in the old anthem.
“I think from what my colleagues have said, there is nothing in the current anthem that motivates our people. If we bring it back, our children will be more committed to the ideals of nationhood.”
National Assembly members sing old national anthem at joint sitting
Meanwhile, members of the joint session of the National Assembly sang the old national anthem, ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’ for the first time at the marking of the Silver Jubilee of Nigeria’s 4th Republic.
The singing commenced after the President signed the National Anthem bill 2024 into law, and spoke to the members of the National Assembly.
The Senate and the House of Representatives had previously passed the legislation to replace the national anthem from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” at separate sittings.
Here are the stanza of Nigeria We Hail Thee:
Nigeria, we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood, we stand,
Nigerians all, and proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.
Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle honour’d,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.
O God of all creation,
Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.
The national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” was used from independence in 1960 until 1978, having been adopted as Nigeria’s first national anthem on October 1, 1960.
Its lyrics were written by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria when it achieved independence and Frances Berda composed the music for the anthem.
But “Arise, O Compatriots,” was adopted in 1978, replacing the “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” anthem.
However, on May 23, 2024, the House of Representatives passed a bill to revert from the current anthem to the old one – Nigeria, We Hail Thee.