National Anthem: Much ado about nothing?

On Wednesday May 29, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the National Anthem Act 2024 which re-introduced the former National Anthem. This reversal to the old anthem was one of the recommendations of the 2014 National conference. The bill, passed by a voice vote, was rushed through both chambers of the National Assembly, without any sort of debate, despite the Attorney-General of the Federation reportedly cautioning on the need for wider public consultation.  

In future, there needs to be consultation and thorough consideration before implementing significant changes which alter our national symbols, especially considering that the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has announced their filing of a suit in the Federal High Court challenging the new National Anthem Act 2024 which they claim failed to comply with each stage of the legislative procedures and is therefore null and void and of no effect.

Although many Nigerians believe that the “Nigeria we hail thee” anthem is better in both content and musical accuracy than the convoluted English of “Arise of Compatriots” anthem, they also believe that its re-instatement is a misplaced priority.

Indeed, government should concentrate on finding solutions to the problems they created by the removal of fuel subsidy and floating of exchange rate, rather than toying with the national anthem which has no positive impact on citizen’s lives.

Anthems do not relieve the suffering of citizens who are in clear and present danger due to the yet to be effectively addressed massive insecurity and unbearable economic downturn. The unanswered question is; “what value can be added to the nation by changing the national anthem?”

Legislators supporting the change claim with perverse logic that “if Nigeria gets the national anthem right, we will get Nigeria right”. This is of course sheer drivel. Anthems do not inspire leaders to be less corrupt and more accountable, nor do they put food on the tables of the increasing numbers of Nigerians living below the international poverty line. The argument that reverting to the old anthem promotes unity and progress is hogwash. It’s merely a cynical attempt to recreate a past which wasn’t as glorious as is being suggested.

Nobody needs reminding that under the old anthem Nigerians fought a bloody civil war whose repercussions are still being felt today. Since independence, Nigeria’s serially poor governance has resulted in nationwide insecurity, pervasive corruption, economic decline and mass poverty which has to all intents and purposes wiped out respect for the nation and drained the patriotic spirit which abounded in the immediate post-independence years.

Still many Nigerians respect the “new” national anthem despite not agreeing with its re-introduction and claiming that the discarded one was a clear call to national service and patriotic solidarity, while “Nigeria we hail thee” is simply a colonial hymn of wishes dressed in simple well-understood phraseology.

Vehement critics of the reversal quibble over semantics and the fact that the anthem was written by a foreigner. They try to make the case that somehow the words are insulting particularly the reference to “tribe and tongue” and “native land”.  The truth is that the “Nigeria we hail thee” anthem represents the spirit of an age when Nigeria was celebrated and set out for post-independence greatness which it has failed woefully to achieve.

Be that as it may, criticism of government actions can sometimes be brilliant, but can also sometimes be intellectually lazy. Many Nigerian social media critics can point out all the wrongs in the country, but can never make intelligent recommendations, or proffer solutions. Their lack of expertise in any field of governance or public policy advocacy means they routinely resort to simply criticizing government at every opportunity.

Two notable female public figures better known for “Bring Back Our (Chibok) Girls” campaigning, have publicly refused to recognise the new anthem. In addition to being in breach of the constitution, they are exposing the fact that their belief in the rule of law is selective! Their behaviour is reprehensible in light of the fact that Section 24 of the 1999 Constitution specifically states that it is the duty of every citizen to respect the national anthem.

Unsurprisingly, some pedantic thinking lawyers support their disrespectful actions by myopically claiming that nothing is an offence unless the penalty for doing so is prescribed in a written law. They assert that failure to perform civic duties and obligations is not an offence, and furthermore there is no provision in any Nigerian law that prohibits or makes it an offence to refuse to stand up and sing when the national anthem is being played! 

On a lighter note Nigerians under the age of 40 represent over 70 per cent of the population and with the abolition of history in schools have never known, let alone sang the words of “Nigeria we hail thee!”. Asking Nigerian students to learn a new anthem is an additional burden when Secondary School WAEC examination results make it evident that they have problems remembering far more important things!

If the new anthem is “blatantly insignificant” as some critics suggest, then why are they so bothered about it? Although it indicates shallow thought processes, lack of historical consciousness and inconsideration of the nation’s demographics by legislators, it may just be the beginning of righting many of the wrongs committed by illegal military administrations. If so then it is commendable, if not then it’s simply much ado about nothing!