A former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has rejected the new National Anthem, saying she will always stick to the old National Anthem of ‘Arise O Compatriots’.
In a post on her verified X account titled ‘Public Service Announcement’ on Wednesday, the former Minister described the newly assented Bill, which returned Nigeria to its old National Anthem, as obnoxious and repugnant to all that is of good conscience in Nigeria.
Recall that the National Assembly had last week hurriedly passed the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, announced that President Bola Tinubu had subsequently signed the Bill into law.
This is even as the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, few days ago expressed his objection to the hasty passage of the Bill by the National Assembly without the buy-in of Nigerians through a public hearing.
However, reacting to the development, the former Minister turned activist wrote: “Let it be known to all and sundry that I, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili shall whenever asked to sing the Nigerian National Anthem sing: 1. Arise, O compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.
“2. Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause
Guide our leader’s right
Help our youth the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace and justice reign.
“This is my own National Anthem and let it be known that no one can suppress my right to dissent an obnoxious “law” that is repugnant to all that is of good conscience in Nigeria.”
Ezekwesili ended with a hashtag #NotMyNationalAnthem.