“Nigeria, We Hail Thee”: Why Oby Ezekwesili, Others Will Sing New Anthem, FG Speaks

• Bola Tinubu's government is hopeful that Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, former education minister and others who openly rejected the new national anthem would have a change of mind
• Speaking on behalf of the government, Lanre Issa-Onilu, the DG of the National Orientation Agency said the reintroduced anthem is melodious, hence critics would fall in love with it
• The NOA DG unveiled the standardised version of the old national anthem in Abuja on Wednesday and urged Nigerians to pay attention to the words in lines three and five

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed confidence that those who opposed the new national anthem would soon join in singing it.

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BREAKING: Tinubu's FG releases approved lyrics of reinstated national anthem: ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’

FG shares plan for Ezekwesili, others who rejected national anthem

The director-general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday, June 5, in Abuja.

As reported by The Nation, Issa-Onilu also announced that the agency will soon be inviting submissions for the production of the authentic melody for the anthem.

Recall that on May 29, President Tinubu signed the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law, reinstating the old anthem "Nigeria, We Hail Thee."

In a statement posted on her X account, the former minister of education, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili said she will continue singing the previous national anthem, "Arise, O compatriots."

But on Wednesday, the DG of the NOA, emphasised that the current national pledge remains valid.

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He, however, refuted the report circulating on social media that the federal government allocated over N800 billion for the campaign for the new national anthem, stating that no allocation has been set aside for the campaign as rumoured on social media.

FG releases standardised lyrics of reintroduced national anthem

Legit.ng reported that on Wednesday, June 5, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), unveiled the approved version of the reintroduced national anthem.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, the director-general of the NOA, unveiled the standardized version of the anthem in Abuja and urged Nigerians to pay attention to the words in lines three and five of the national anthem that was reintroduced, The Punch reported.

He said: "Today’s event is to present the official version which will clear all doubts about the correct lyrics as contained in the Act signed by the President."

Source: Legit.ng