REWIND: In 2022, Tinubu said he would bring back old national anthem 

On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu signed the bill for the reintroduction of the old national anthem. 

The president’s action came a few hours after the senate passed the bill during a public hearing.

Tinubu assented to the bill despite calls from Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, that the decision to change the country’s national anthem should be subjected to an extensive process.

The reintroduced national anthem is themed ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’. The version used since 1978 is titled ‘Arise, O Compatriots’.

Since the president assented to the bill, some Nigerians have expressed reservations about the old national anthem and the rationale behind its reintroduction.

However, a flashback revealed that Tinubu always wanted the old national anthem to make a return.

In an interview granted during the celebration of Nigeria’s Independence Day in 2022, Tinubu revealed his preference for the old anthem over the current version.

He said the old anthem “described us much better” and added that “if I had my way, I would bring back our first national anthem”.

“We must guard our democracy jealously because we are one Nigeria. And we should be proud of our past,” Tinubu had said.

“In fact, if I had my way, I would bring back our first national anthem. That described us much better. I don’t know why we changed it. [The anthem] is about service, diversity, and commitment to value our nation-building.”