Confusion trailed the latest Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of his cabinet were seen singing “Arise, O Compatriots,” despite the official reinstatement of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as Nigeria’s national anthem.
The incident occurred during the opening ceremony of the meeting when “Arise, O Compatriots” was played and the President, alongside ministers and other government officials, joined in singing the anthem.
The development has drawn attention because the Tinubu administration signed the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law in May 2024, restoring “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the country’s official national anthem and replacing “Arise, O Compatriots,” which had been in use since 1978.
Following the restoration of the old anthem, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) released an official and standardised version after consultations with relevant stakeholders to ensure its uniform adoption across government institutions, schools and public events.
The legislation restoring “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly before receiving President Tinubu’s assent. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the development during a joint sitting of the National Assembly held to mark the 25th anniversary of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
Since then, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” has been designated as the official national anthem and is expected to be used at all government functions, with ministries, departments and agencies directed to comply.
However, the rendition of “Arise, O Compatriots” at the latest FEC meeting has raised questions about why the former anthem was used instead of the officially adopted one.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not issued any official explanation regarding the incident.
