Amidst Controversy, House of Representatives Passes Bill to Readopt Old National Anthem
In a session marked by contention, the Nigerian House of Representatives has pushed through a bill to reintroduce the old National Anthem, “Nigeria we hail thee,” despite vigorous opposition from some members of the legislative body.
Spearheaded by the Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, the bill garnered heated debate during its second reading and was swiftly ushered through a third reading despite dissenting voices.
During the discourse, Mr. Ihonvbere argued fervently for the adoption of the former anthem, citing its superior lyrical content compared to the current one.
However, the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, voiced staunch opposition, contending that the anthem should not be a focal point of legislative priority.Mr. Chinda raised concerns over the anthem’s colonial origins, asserting that reverting to it would signify regression.
“For every law, there must be a spirit to it. If we are asked what is the essence of this law, I would talk about history,” Mr. Chinda remarked. “What does this old national anthem represent? This history dates back to colonialism. We dropped it because we wanted an Anthem to remove us from colonialism. The old anthem was composed by foreigners.”
Despite the fervent dissent, the Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu, presiding over the session, called for a vote. Despite the apparent dominance of “nay” voices, the Deputy Speaker declared the motion in favor of the “ayes,” a decision met with uproar from dissenting lawmakers.
Nevertheless, the Deputy Speaker remained steadfast in his ruling, swiftly advancing the motion amidst continued opposition.
