President Bola Tinubu and members of the Federal Executive Council on Monday recited the former Nigerian national anthem during a cabinet meeting in Abuja, despite the Federal Government officially restoring a different anthem more than two years ago.
The incident came to public attention after a video from the meeting surfaced on social media, leaving many Nigerians questioning why the outdated anthem was used.
The video captured President Tinubu alongside ministers singing “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. That legislation brought back “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which first served as the country’s national anthem at independence in 1960 before it was replaced in 1978.
The restoration of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” marked the end of nearly five decades during which “Arise, O Compatriots” had been used as the country’s national anthem. Since the law took effect, government institutions and official events have been expected to use the restored anthem.
The appearance of the old anthem during the Federal Executive Council meeting has raised fresh questions because the gathering involved the President and senior government officials responsible for implementing federal policies and decisions.
As of the time the report was filed, the Presidency had not released any statement explaining why the former anthem was recited during the meeting or whether the incident resulted from an error or another circumstance.
The circulating video has continued to attract attention online, with many Nigerians reacting to the unexpected use of the revoked anthem during one of the Federal Government’s highest official meetings.