Senate moves to change the National Anthem as bill passes first and second reading

A bill seeking to change the Nigeria’s national anthem has passed the first and second reading at the Senate.

The bill sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, seeks the replacement of the current anthem with the old components of the anthem that were changed in 1978 during the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime.

The senator during an executive/closed session on Thursday, May 23, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to report back to the house in two weeks.

The old anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” was replaced with the current one “Arise, O Compatriots in 1978.

According to the lawmakers, the current national anthem is a product of the military junta, decreed by the military and therefore should be discarded to adequately capture the nations democratic values, integrity and principally foster commitment to nationhood.