Tinubu Approves Legislation Reinstating Former National Anthem

President Bola Tinubu approved the National Anthem Bill 2024, restoring the old anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”

This decision was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a session marking Nigeria’s 4th Republic Silver Jubilee.

The purpose was to launch the new national anthem, with Tinubu leaving to inaugurate the Abuja metro line. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had passed the bill.

The previous anthem was “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” replaced in 1978 by “Arise, O Compatriots.” The event did not involve a speech by President Tinubu due to his prior engagement.

The old anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” was replaced with the current one “Arise, O Compatriots in 1978.

Read the old anthem below:

Nigeria we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood we stand,
Nigerians all, and proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.

Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle honour’d,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.