The Senate has passed the National Anthem Bill 2024, which would replace the current national anthem, ‘Arise O Compatriots’, with the old one used after independence in 1960, ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’.

The bill passed its third reading on Tuesday and now awaits concurrence and ultimately President Bola Tinubu’s assent before it becomes law.

The lawmakers passed the bill after considering a report presented by the chairman of the judiciary committee, Tahir Monguno.

According to Mr Monguno, the committee did not agree with the opinion of the attorney general of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi, about the need for wider consultation before going ahead to change the anthem, insisting that “the proposed bill is important.”

Speaking on the impact of the old anthem, Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele said, “Upon rendition, it inspired deep patriotism among Nigerians. Those who lived through that era recognise its crucial role in our nation’s history, evoking nostalgia and fond memories of our early years.”

After considering the clauses, the Senate passed the bill a day after the lawmakers began a public hearing on it. This was just days after the House of Representatives on Thursday also hastily passed the bill, which was proposed by Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra Central.

According to Mr Bamidele, who represented Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the hearing, the second stanza of the existing national anthem shall be the national prayer.

Mr Bamidele added that further consultation would be had on the matter if necessary.

On Thursday, the bill to return to Nigeria’s old national anthem passed its second reading in the Senate. This followed the presentation of the lead debate on the bill’s general principles by the sponsor, Mr Bamidele, during the plenary.

The bill titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Provide for the National Anthem of Nigeria, and for matters related thereto, 2024,’ which was read for the first time on Thursday, was given an accelerated hearing.

Presenting the bill, Mr Bamidele said it sought to make provisions for Nigeria to revert to its old national anthem, which would be a better symbol of unity, peace, and prosperity than the current anthem.

He recalled that Nigeria had adopted the national anthem ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ at independence in 1960.

Supporting the bill, Jimoh Ibrahim (APC-Ondo) queried the current anthem, saying that the “language” of the anthem was “elusive.”

Quoting a line of the anthem, “Arise, O compatriot,” Mr Ibrahim said. “What about non-compatriots? How do we convert them to become compatriots? That is why I said this language is elusive. And it’s not good for any reason. The old anthem, ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’, comes to the mind of Nigerians.”

Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra) stated, “The old national anthem, which we are seeking to bring back, is the national anthem that needs all the ingredients of a nation.”

He said that a national anthem was supposed to be motivational, noting that the words in the old national anthem were motivational.

Similarly, Diket Plang (APC-Plateau) said unity could be acquired “when there was brotherhood, and when there was brotherhood, there would be unity.”