NIGERIA’s President Bola Tinubu signed the bill to revert to the old national anthem into law on Wednesday, May 29, in Abuja.

The assent was part of activities marking the President’s one year in office.

While addressing lawmakers at a joint session of the National Assembly marking the Silver Jubilee of Nigeria’s 4th Republic, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the President would sign the bill, which had earlier been passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly, into law.

Not long afterwards, Tinubu signed the bill into law and the new anthem, and “Nigeria we hail thee” was sung by the President and other government functionaries for the first time since it was suspended in 1978 after a military putsch.

As the old anthem has now replaced the new, “Arise O Compatriots”, the new anthem has now been suspended.

The ICIR reported that the Nigerian Senate passed the National Anthem Bill 2024 seeking to revert the new anthem with the lawmakers arguing that the old anthem evoked more emotional connections with the Nigerians.

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The old anthem was composed by Lillian Jean Williams and Frances Berda, and used from 1960 to 1978. It was however replaced with “Arise, O Compatriots” in 1978 by the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime.

“Nigeria, we hail thee,
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.”

The Current National Anthem
Arise, O Compatriots,
Nigeria’s call obey
To serve our Fatherland
With love and strength and faith.
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain,
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.

O God of creation,
Direct our noble cause;
Guide our Leaders right:
Help our Youth the truth to know,
In love and honesty to grow,
And living just and true,
Great lofty heights attain,
To build a nation where peace and justice shall reign.