By Our Reporter
Amid criticisms over the reintroduction of the old national anthem, “Nigeria We Hail Thee” by President Bola Tinubu as he marks his first year in office, many have called on his critics to be calm as this might be a preamble to the much needed restructuring.
The President had on Wednesday signed into law the bill to revert to Nigeria’s old national anthem which was composed by a Briton Lilian-Jean Williams in 1959, and was used up until 1978, before the military introduced the “Arise O’ Compatriots”, used from 1978 up until Wednesday when it was swiftly changed.
Speaking on his first anniversary in office, President Tinubu said the anthem symbolised Nigeria’s diversity.
While the reintroduction of the old anthem did not go down well with most Nigerians who felt that there were more pressing issues like hunger in the land, to be addressed by the president and the national assembly; others have perceived the move as a gradual warming up to restructuring the country by the president.
Former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili posted on X that she would never sing the new-old anthem.
“Let it be known to all and sundry that I, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili shall whenever asked to sing the Nigerian National Anthem [will] sing: “Arise O Compatriots” – the anthem which has been used for the past 46 years.
A seasoned Journalist, Steve Osuji in his blog, “EXPRESO-PRESIDENCY WATCH, berated the president for gifting the nation on his first year anniversary with what he described as a “comical” bill to revert to a discarded colonial national anthem, which he signed swiftly against the counsel of his attorney general and the whimpering of the populace.
Dr. Onujabe Nasir, a public affairs commentator questioning the priorities amid the high cost of living, took a swipe at the legislatures for thinking that reversal of the nation’s national anthem ( a song and wishful thinking of our founding fathers) was the solution to the plethora of problems that the country faces. “What on earth in this jet age and sophisticated economy, a nation is searching for solution to eradicate poverty and the legislatures were thinking of the reversal of the nation’s national anthem”, Dr. Onujabe said.
He further pointed out that the Legislatures merely shy away from reality to distract the nation from looking at themselves as the problem and not the national anthem.
But public affairs analyst, Michael Chibuzo, coming in defense of the reintroduced national anthem opined that it was possible the president wanted to reinforce national consciousness.
According to Chibuzo;”president Tinubu is actually warming up to restructure this country but a lot of people are not seeing it yet.”
He went on to add that the president has started with the Electricity Act 2014 that decentralised the powers to regulate, transmit, generate and distribute electricity
The president also has endorsed State Police, another commendation of the 2014 confab, Chibuzo pointed out, adding that just recently his attorney general sued the 36 states at the Supreme Court on issue of Local Government autonomy among several other reforms that president Tinubu aims at bringing about.
Nigerians have called on the national assembly and the president to first take a look at the constitution for further exploration of Nigeria’s problems.
As the debate over the controversial reversal of the national anthem rages, it is believed in some quarters that the days ahead will clear the fog as to what president Tinubu’s plans are. For now, Nigerians are adopting a “wait and see” stance.