New national anthem will promote brotherhood, equity—CSO
Anthem
By Perpetua Onuegbu
Abuja, June 6, 2024 (NAN) Mr Olumuyiwa Olede, Executive Director, Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative (CAACSVI) says the reverse to the old National Anthem will promote, justice and equality in the country.
Olede said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, the 2014 National Conference had recommended a return to the old national anthem.
“We may say the new national anthem is not necessary because of the hunger and starvation in the land.
“However, I think there is no better time for any law or policy to be implemented than whenever it is implemented.
“The new national anthem is significant, looking at the wordings I believe Nigeria is as divided today as during the colonial rule, after independence and even during the war.
“The new national anthem has a line that says though tribe or tongue may differ in brotherhood we stand’’, Olede said.
He said though Nigeria has no fewer than 250 ethnic groups speaking in distinct languages but in brotherhood those differences could be harnessed for national good.
Olede said the new national anthem expressed the desire for a country where nobody was oppressed which could not be said to be the reality in the country now.
“Today we have agitation all over the nation from south east to south west to even the northern part of the country people are agitating for one thing or the other.
“The new national anthem preaches that nobody should be oppressed, equality and justice must reign supreme. Those are the two points that make the new national anthem significant”, he said.
Elaborating on the difference between the two anthems Olede said the new national anthem was adapted after independence but the old one was introduced by the military.
“If we are agitating for a change of the 1999 constitution that was given to us by the military the same should also apply to the national anthem that was given to us by the military.
“Why not change into the one our leaders like Sir Amadu Bello, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, Akintola, Chief Awolowo, Micheal Okpara, Nnamdi Azikiwe and host of them had input’’, Olede said.
He said he was optimistic that the anthem would have positive impact on Nigerians’ psyche.
“As a leader you are supposed to look at the wordings of the new national anthem and know that though tongues and tribe may differ, justice must prevail because in brotherhood we must stand.
“We are one another’s brother’s keeper, from the three major tribes down to other tribes; everyone must have a stake in governance.
“It will awaken our leaders` conscience to their responsibilities to carry everybody along; to know that when you are elected you are not only to serve people from your ethnic divide’’, Olede told NAN. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
PUO/KUA
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Edited by Uche Anunne