I’ll Stick to ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ National Anthem, Oby Ezekwesili Rejects 1960 Anthem

Many Nigerians, including a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, have condemned President Bola Tinubu’s move to sign a new National Anthem bill into law.

The bill reverts to the old National Anthem, ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’, which was the country’s anthem at independence until it was changed to the ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ version under Olusegun Obasanjo’s military regime.

Ezekwesili vehemently disowned the old-and-now-new national anthem and insisted she would continue to recognise the ‘Arise O Compatriots’ version as the nation’s national anthem.

Oby Ezekwesili’s statement on X

She wrote: “Let it be known to all and sundry that I, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili will whenever asked to sing the Nigerian National Anthem sing:

1. Arise, O compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.

2. Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause
Guide our leader’s right
Help our youth the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace and justice reign.

She added: “This is my own National Anthem and let it be known that no one can suppress my right to dissent an obnoxious “law” that is repugnant to all that is of good conscience in Nigeria. Whatever else is #NotMyNationalAnthem.”