President Bola Tinubu and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) have stirred reactions after they were seen reciting Nigeria’s former national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” during a council meeting.

A video from the meeting, which has circulated widely on social media, showed the President and members of his cabinet reciting the anthem that was officially replaced on May 29, 2024, following the signing of the National Anthem Act, 2024.

The law restored “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” the country’s independence-era anthem first adopted in 1960, as Nigeria’s official national anthem, replacing the version introduced in 1978.

As of the time of this report, the Presidency has not explained why the old anthem was recited during the FEC meeting.

 

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