Nigerian singer, Joseph Akinfenwa Akinwale aka Joeboy, has berated the federal government and National Assembly for prioritising changing the national anthem over tackling the numerous challenges facing the country.
CorrectNG reported earlier today that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed into law a bill for the reversion to the old national anthem, “Nigeria, we hail thee”.
This was made known by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio during plenary at a joint session of the National Assembly marking the Silver Jubilee Of Nigeria’s 4th Republic.
President Tinubu’s assent of the National Anthem Bill 2024 coincided with the first anniversary of his administration, which began in May 2023.
“This morning, Mr President signed into an Act of Parliament, the newly passed National Anthem 2024,” Akpabio said on Wednesday.
He said the sitting was primarily to launch the new national anthem, and disclosed that the President would not be making a speech because he has to leave to launch the Abuja metro line.
Reacting via hi official Twitter page, Joeboy wondered why a change of the National Anthem was prioritised over pressing national issues.
The music star wrote: “Of all the problems Nigerians have to deal with, changing the national anthem is priority? Okay naw.”
Meanwhile, the Senate and the House of Representatives had previously passed the legislation to swap the national anthem from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” at separate sittings.
Following the signing of the bill by the President to reintroduce the old national anthem, the joint sitting jettisoned what has been in existence since 1978, to adopt the former (and newly signed) national anthem ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’.
Tinubu, who later joined the joint session, confirmed ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’ when Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960, as the latest national anthem, replacing the “Arise, O Compatriots” anthem.
