Tinubu, Ministers recite old national anthem at FEC meeting in trending video

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) were heard reciting Nigeria’s former national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” during a council meeting on Monday, despite the Federal Government’s reintroduction of the old independence-era anthem in 2024.

The development was observed in a video from the FEC meeting, which has been circulating widely on social media.

In the footage, President Tinubu and members of his cabinet were seen reciting “Arise, O Compatriots,” the anthem that ceased to be Nigeria’s official national anthem after the President signed the National Anthem Act, 2024, into law on May 29, 2024.

The legislation restored “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the country’s official national anthem, replacing “Arise, O Compatriots,” which had been adopted in 1978.

The return of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” originally used at Nigeria’s independence in 1960, followed the passage of the National Anthem Bill, 2024, by the National Assembly and its subsequent assent by President Tinubu.

The video has since generated reactions online, with many Nigerians questioning why the former anthem was recited during an official government meeting after its replacement by law.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not issued any official explanation regarding the use of the former national anthem during the FEC meeting.

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