Mr President, bring back the anthem Nigerians actually know

Anyone following the World Cup would have noticed the passion, conviction, and emotion with which players and supporters sing their national anthems before kickoff. This scene consistently stands out. Some close their eyes; others place a hand on their chest. Many sing every word as though it were a personal creed.

Those moments demonstrate that a national anthem is far more than just a song; it is a symbol of a nation’s identity, history, and collective aspirations.

That is why a troubling question comes to mind whenever I watch such scenes: how many Nigerians can confidently sing our national anthem today?

Since the reintroduction of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” in 2024, millions of Nigerians don’t know or have struggled to remember, let alone sing, the country’s official anthem.

Attend any public event where the anthem is played, and you will often see people merely moving their lips, uncertain of the words, or simply standing in silence. At various local or international sporting events, our athletes don’t sing along.

“Whatever criticisms may have been made of it, it had become familiar and widely accepted. Replacing it overnight inevitably created confusion and weakened the sense of familiarity that gives national symbols their enduring power.”

This should not be surprising. The restored anthem was Nigeria’s national anthem for only eighteen years, from 1960 to 1978. In contrast, “Arise, O Compatriots” served as the nation’s anthem for forty-six years, from 1978 until 2024. By any measure, far more Nigerians grew up with the latter than with the former.

The previous anthem had become deeply embedded in Nigeria’s civic culture. Generations of Nigerians recited it in schools, sang it during morning assemblies, and heard it at official ceremonies and national events. Whatever criticisms may have been made of it, it had become familiar and widely accepted. Replacing it overnight inevitably created confusion and weakened the sense of familiarity that gives national symbols their enduring power.

One is tempted to ask: does the President genuinely expect Nigerians who were born and raised between 1978 and 2024 to suddenly embrace and memorise a different anthem? Has he forgotten the Igbo saying that you cannot learn how to use your left hand in old age? “Adighi amu aka ekpa n’nka.”

A national anthem derives its real power not from official proclamation but from public acceptance and familiarity. It must live in the hearts of the people before it can resonate through stadiums, classrooms, churches, mosques, and public squares. An anthem that citizens do not know cannot effectively perform its most important function: fostering national unity and identity.

For this reason, I believe President Bola Tinubu’s decision to revert to the former national anthem ranks among the most unnecessary and ill-advised policy choices of his administration. At a time when Nigeria faces pressing economic, security, and governance challenges, changing the national anthem was hardly a national priority.

This decision, moreover, looks more like a personal preference dressed up as policy than a response to any need felt by ordinary Nigerians. In an interview during Nigeria’s 2022 Independence Day celebrations, Tinubu said the old anthem “described us much better” and that, given the choice, he would bring it back. He has now achieved his goal.

Little wonder the change appears to have solved no urgent problem: it served his personal preference, not the wishes of the wider public, and in the process created confusion for millions who had grown up knowing the anthem it replaced. National identity is strengthened through shared experiences and collective conviction, not by repeatedly altering symbols that citizens have already embraced.

Beyond the anthem itself, this issue raises broader concerns with our rubberstamp National Assembly led by Senator Akpabio.

The National Anthem Bill was passed by the National Assembly with remarkable speed, reportedly within a matter of days and with little public consultation. Concerns raised by various stakeholders, including the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), were largely brushed aside. Classical Akpabio brushed off the AFG concern by saying he is not a lawmaker and does not have a full understanding of how bills are passed.

How puerile, a strikingly thin response to a germane concern.

Senator Tahir Monguno, while presenting the committee’s report, stated that the anthem reflected Nigeria’s values, aspirations, and cultural identity and would inspire greater patriotism and cooperation among citizens.

Two years after its reintroduction, it is fair to ask Senator Monguno and Senator Akpabio whether those lofty objectives have been achieved. Has the new anthem inspired greater patriotism? Has it strengthened national unity? Has it fostered cooperation among citizens? Most importantly, how many Nigerians can confidently sing it today?

Whether one prefers “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” or “Arise, O Compatriots” is ultimately a matter of personal opinion. What is not in dispute is that changing the anthem has done little to improve the daily lives of Nigerians. The country now finds itself in the unusual position of having a national anthem that many of its citizens neither know nor sing with confidence.

I therefore respectfully call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider this decision and restore the anthem that generations of Nigerians grew up knowing. Such a step would undoubtedly require humility and political courage.

Yet leadership is not measured by an unwillingness to revisit decisions; it is measured by the wisdom to acknowledge when a policy has failed to achieve its intended purpose.

It is never too late to correct a mistake. Indeed, the willingness to do so is often the hallmark of great leadership.

Nwachukwu is a lawyer and a writer and can be reached at [email protected].