On the 29th of May, 2024, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, passed the National Anthem Bill, a proposition to revert to the 1960 National Anthem into law. This means effective from now for official purposes, the “Nigeria We Hail Thee” tune will rent the airwaves in place of “Arise, O Compatriots.”
Many questions come to mind as to the purpose of this reversal. Why now? To what end? What will it achieve?
The “Nigeria We Hail Thee” anthem was written by Lilian Jean Williams and composed by Frances Berda, and one of the numerous criticisms it received before it was replaced was that foreigners created it. But 48 years after its change, it has now been passed into law as the newly recognized National Anthem.
Senator Bamidele Opeyemi proposed the bill on the floor of the Senate while Hon. Julius Ihonbvere did same on the floor of the House of Representatives. Part of the reasons for the new bills is that it’s a better reflection of national unity and a better representation of the President’s vision. Some say the old anthem (Nigeria We Hail Thee) evokes a better sense of patriotism and that the new anthem somewhat reinforces the pain and struggles associated with the military era.
However, amidst the present country’s economic woes and struggles, it begs the question if this is the right move. Inflation is eating deep into the country’s fabric. The purchasing power of the people is ever so drastically diminishing, and the elected officials who have the power to influence decisions choose to prioritize a matter that has little or no importance to the lives of Nigerians. With the pressing insecurity, you can’t help but wonder if this should be taking precedence in the country’s highest legislative body.
Interestingly, it is worth noting that this bill passed the first, second, and third reading on the same day, Thursday, last week. If the legislative arm can swing into action on a matter with such speed, precision, and emphasis, why then do more pressing bills that have a direct bearing on the people take weeks or months before being passed?
Case in point, The Not Too Young Too Run Bill was proposed to the Senate in 2016, approved in 2017, and signed into law in 2018. The Petroleum Industry Bill has been in and out since 2008 before being passed in 2019. The Electoral Amendment Bill was passed in 2022 since 2010 after three major elections in between. The Police Reform Bill has also been proposed to the legislative arms at different times but finally got approved in 2019.
On the other hand, one can say this move shows zero consideration for the public. With how quickly it was proposed and passed, there was little to no consultation and zero regard for public opinion. If there is anything that Nigerians have a sentimental bias for, and for right reason, it is the National Anthem. Over 50 percent of the country’s current population was born into the dispensation of the “Arise O Compatriots” anthem. To take that away from them on the grounds that the older one has more appeal and signifies better national unity doesn’t seem a good enough reason.
But more concerning is that seeing how little to no regard is given to the public’s input in matters of such sentimental weight, how much more when it comes to more pressing issues? The legislative arm is supposed to give enough time for the public to opine their view on bills before they are passed. But with the way this was expedited and passed, what will be the hope of the masses for more weightier matters?
Then you can’t help but wonder if there isn’t a flaw in the legislative process and room for public hearings. The National Assembly is at the FCT and when there are public hearings, how many people can attend? Should the legislative bodies not look to leverage technology to improve inclusivity in its process? Surely they’ve been selected to be the mouthpiece of the people on critical matters, but one man cannot speak or accurately represent the voice of his senatorial constituency without neglecting the desires of a good majority.
Some other schools of thought see this move by the government as a grand PR scheme to deviate and take the people’s attention from a holistic evaluation of the performance of this government in the past year in office. The country’s inflation rate rose to 33 percent in April 2024 and the food inflation rate jumped to 40 percent. A major cause of food inflation is the insecurity the country has been facing. Farmers are scared to go to the farms as there’s been a rise in killings, abductions, and kidnappings, especially in the hinterlands.
Major multinational corporations have stopped operations in the country due to the high cost of operations and difficulties in breaking even caused by the current foreign exchange and devaluation of the naira. Nigerians’ purchasing power has been reduced. People earn the same but can buy less. The country’s production level is shrinking on a daily and something needs to be done about this quickly. Maybe if the current government is taking strides to actively solve these issues and the legislative bodies are not pandering to pass the National Anthem Bill, then Nigerians would have little worry about a sentimental bill.
