National Anthem: Students shun both versions during assembly as Nigerians struggle to recite

The introduction of a new National Anthem last Wednesday has continued to generate reactions among Nigerians, both offline and online.

While some agree that the new anthem is better than the one it replaced, others believe there is not much difference when the two are compared.

Another school of thought is of the view that the most pressing issue before the country and Nigerians is not an anthem, but daily survival.

When Sunday Vanguard sought the opinion of a businessman, Gbenga Okesode, he expressed disgust about the timing of the introduction of the new anthem.

“To me, it is just a way to distract the people. One would wonder why that should be the priority of the government now. The cost of living is already out hand for most Nigerians and doing business has become a dangerous thing to dabble into”, he said.

“To me, even if the new anthem is far better than the one it replaced, the question is, is this time auspicious to introduce it?

“It shows that we are not serious and we are getting our priorities wrong. Apart from the serious economic challenges facing the country, insecurity has not abated

“We must find ways of alleviating the suffering of the people. An anthem is not what will put food on the table of the people or give them access to the good things of life.

“In fact, hunger and poverty would wipe away patriotism from the lives of people, something an anthem and national pledge are supposed to inculcate”.

A lawyer, Rasaq Akinleye, on his part, opined that since it was introduced following the passage of a bill which was assented to by President Bola Tinubu in record time, it has come to stay.

“I heard that some people, out of annoyance, are saying they won’t learn or sing the new anthem, that is wrong”, he said.

“No matter how you feel about it, it was introduced following the due process of the law. “Showing disrespect when it is being sung is not the way to go. Anthem, pledge, flag are parts of the symbols of a country and they must be respected”.

On Thursday, when the Lagos State University, LASU, held a press briefing as part of activities to mark its 27th convocation ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, led in the singing of the new anthem.
Most elderly people at the event appeared to be able to recite the first stanza of the anthem without much stress

However, the use of projectors came in handy to assist the gathering in singing the two remaining stanzas without much trouble.

For the students, who were mostly not born in 1978 when the anthem was discarded, it was just a matter of watching proceedings.

How teachers, students cope
On the social media page of a group, Concerned Parents and Educators Network, CPE, which is populated by parents, teachers, school owners and stakeholders in the education sector, teachers, especially, recounted how they and their students have been able to cope in the first two days of reciting it during morning assembly.

One of them, Blessing Okere Ayanbiyi, said, “They (students) sang the old anthem since the new one is yet to be learnt.”

Another member, Olufunke Awoyemi stated, “To keep in view probably till next term.

Princess Adepeju Olufadeke Sobaloju said, “We didn’t sing both old and new, the children were just laughing.”
Anthonia Oleabhiele said, “They managed to mutter it to the last stanza and then subconsciously said amen.”
The anthem that was reintroduced on Wednesday was in use from independence till 1978, before the one it replaced was introduced.

The pre-independence anthem was composed by colonialists, while the 1978 edition was composed by Nigerians following a competition among Nigerians on writing a new anthem.

President Tinubu had earlier directed that the National Pledge be rendered in all official gatherings after reciting the anthem.