- The Nigerian Senate held an executive/closed session on Thursday to deliberate on changing the national anthem.
- Although the reason for the move has not been made public, the change is already attracting criticism from concerned Nigerians.
Shehu Sani, a former senator representing Kaduna central, has said changing of national anthem should be done after consultations with Nigerians
Sani said altering the national anthem without wide consultation would be seen as an attempt to dissolve Nigeria.
Earlier on Thursday, the house of representatives passed a bill seeking to reintroduce the old national anthem.
The old national anthem is themed: ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’.
The house speedily passed the bill for first, second, and third readings during plenary on Thursday.
The bill passed third reading after Julius Ihonvbere, majority leader of the house who sponsored it, moved for its consideration at the “committee of the whole” where the clauses were voted on and approved.
It’s a rare occurrence for the house to initiate a bill and passed on the same day.
Ihonvbere urged his colleagues to support the bill, saying it promotes unity of the country
Reacting to the development on Thursday, the former senator on his X page noted the potential consequences of altering a symbol of national identity without proper public consultation and constitutional amendments.
“Tempering with or Changing the National Anthem or National pledge of Nigeria should be done after wider public consultation and should be factored in the process of constitutional amendments,” Sani wrote.
“Or would be misinterpreted as a surreptitious attempt to dissolve the country by altering one of its most important pillars.”
Meanwhile, the bill has passed second reading in the senate.
Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader of the senate, said there is a need to have an anthem that would promote patriotism in the country.
Okechukwu Eze, senator representing Enugu north, said the current anthem “does not pass any message”.
The bill passed second reading after it was put to a voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The old national anthem was introduced on October 1, 1960, after Nigeria gained independence.
It served as the national anthem until 1978, when it was replaced with the current tune.