Former Minister of Education, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has firmly stated that she will not join Nigerians in singing the reinstated old national anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on Thursday.
In a post on her X handle on Wednesday, Ezekwesili expressed her determination to continue singing the recently discarded “Arise O Compatriots” anthem, asserting that she cannot be compelled to accept what she described as an “obnoxious law” rejected by the Nigerian populace.
The National Assembly had passed the National Anthem Bill 2024, which received Tinubu’s assent, to revert Nigeria’s national anthem to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” originally written by British expatriate Lillian Jean Williams and composed by Frances Berda. This anthem was replaced in 1978 by “Arise O Compatriots,” composed by Mr. Ben Odiase.
Reacting to this development, Ezekwesili wrote, “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 also cited the second stanza of the anthem, emphasizing a prayer for divine guidance and national integrity:
“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 Senate and the House of Representatives had rapidly passed the bill to reinstate the old anthem.
The bill’s sponsor, Julius Ihonvbere, argued that the move was necessary to foster patriotism and nationalism. The Senate approved the bill following a report by Tahir Monguno, the chair of the Judiciary Committee and representative of Borno North Senatorial District.
Despite the legislative approval, many Nigerians on social media have questioned the relevance of reinstating the old anthem, debating whether it would address the country’s current economic challenges.
