Senate begins process to revert to Nigeria’s old national anthem

A bill for an act to revert to Nigeria’s ‘Old National Anthem’ passed a second reading at the Senate in Abuja on Thursday.

The old anthem, which was jettisoned by the military administration in 1978, had the opening statement, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee!”

It was the anthem Nigeria used as an independent nation on October 1, 1960.

The lyrics of the anthem were written by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria at the time the country gained independence.

The music for the anthem was composed by Frances Berda.

Both the lyrics and the music (song) remained in use as Nigeria’s national anthem before it was changed in 1978 to the current (new) anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots.”

On Thursday, the Senate began a process to revert to the old anthem by passing the bill, “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the National Anthem of Nigeria and for Matters Related Thereto, 2024,”  for a second reading.

Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, while leading the debate on the bill, said the old anthem “epitomised the significant historical heritage of our dear country, Nigeria.”

He added, “The anthem, upon rendition, inspired and stimulated a deep sense of patriotism in Nigerians. You will also agree with me that those who were around in the 1960s and late 1970s would attest to the fact that the anthem played quite a significant and crucial role in shaping Nigeria’s national identity and unity, as well as engendering a high sense of value and personal belonging amongst the citizenry.

“It was symbolic of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and nationhood. In retrospect, the anthem served as a regular and constant reminder of our journey as a nation and provoked feelings of nostalgia and fond memories of the country’s early years.”

Compared to “Arise, O Compatriots,” Bamidele argued that the old anthem would be more meaningful to Nigeria in its present quest for national rebirth and recommitment to its development.

He stated, “ The rendition and musical accuracy of the anthem are better in content and context than the current one.“

Backing Bamidele’s position, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, Sen. Mohammed Monguno, described the new anthem as a “product of the military,” which did not reflect a consensus among Nigerians.

On his part, Sen. Okechukwu Eze (Enugu North) observed that national anthems were supposed to evoke emotions by getting citizens to act in love and in defence of their nations.

“This does not happen these days with our anthem. The old one is like a battle cry, urging us to be united. The current anthem is drab and carries no message,” he added.

Making his own contribution, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo-South) asked, “Who are the “compatriots” in the current anthem?

He added, “The old one also talks about brotherliness, meaning we can live in peace and harmony.”

Ibrahim further asked whether the new anthem implied that once one was not a ‘compatriot’, then he had no stake in the Nigerian project.

The majority of senators endorsed the bill for a second reading, insisting that the old anthem expressed more love, unity, brotherliness, and peace among Nigerians than the new one.