On Thursday, the Nigerian Senate approved a bill to reinstate the national anthem, “Nigeria we hail Thee.”
This anthem was originally composed when Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960. The bill’s passage followed its presentation during a plenary session by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, representing APC, Ekiti Central.
Bamidele, at the start of the plenary, emphasized the significant role the old anthem played in molding Nigeria’s national identity and unity. He also highlighted that the anthem fostered a strong sense of value and personal belonging among the citizens.
Bamidele stated, “Those who lived through the 60s and late 70s can attest to the anthem’s crucial role in shaping Nigeria’s national identity and unity, as well as fostering a high sense of value and personal belonging among the citizens.”
Following the bill’s passage, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs, requesting a prompt report back to the committee of the whole.
It’s worth noting that the House of Representatives had previously passed the same bill into law.
