WRITTEN BY: CHIOMA MADONNA NDUKWU
The Nigerian Senate and president Tinubu have passed a bill to reinstate the old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which was the anthem at independence in 1960 until it was replaced in 1978.
The bill, championed by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, received overwhelming support from lawmakers, who argue that the old anthem better symbolizes unity, peace, and prosperity. The current anthem, associated with military rule, is set to be replaced by the independence-era anthem that encapsulates Nigeria’s national values and norms. President Tinubu has signed the bill into law, officially restoring “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the national anthem. The lyrics of the reinstated anthem are as follows:
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood, we stand,
Nigerians all, and proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.
Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle honour’d,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.
O God of all creation,
Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.
#OMAGIST@AFRICAWORLDNEWS
