By Joke Kujenya
IN A SIGNIFICANT legislative session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the signing of a bill that reinstates ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ as the national anthem.
Akpabio made the announcement during a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday.
He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu signed the bill into law earlier that morning.
Following this legislative milestone, President Tinubu joined the session to confirm the adoption of ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ as the nation’s anthem, though he did not deliver a speech due to his scheduled launch of the Abuja metro line.
The Senate and House of Representatives had previously passed the legislation in separate sittings, deciding to revert to the former anthem from the current ‘Arise, O Compatriots.’
This decision marks a crucial cultural shift, as ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee,’ which was originally composed when Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960, will once again be sung across the nation.
The reinstatement of ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ replaces ‘Arise, O Compatriots,’ which has been in use since 1978. The legislative bodies emphasized the historical significance and the deep-rooted national pride associated with the original anthem as key factors in their decision.
