THUR MAY 23 2024-theGBJournal| The Nigerian House of Representatives has passed a Bill to revert to the country’s old national anthem, ”Nigeria We Hail Thee,” written by British colonialists and first sang on independence day in 1960.
The Bill, the National Anthem Bill, 2024 was read first on Thursday by Hon Julius Ihonvbere and swiftly passed, within minutes of its third reading.
Hon Ihonvbere, who sponsored the Bill told the House that he believes the old anthem is superior to the current one in use.
There were resentments bordering on the colonial link of the old anthem but when it came down to vote, the House Deputy Speaker, who presided over the session, quickly brought down the gavel in favour of the ”ayes” whose voices were seemingly drowned out by the ”nays”.
The Deputy Speaker’s action drew consternation but he stood by his ruling, and the Bill was eventually passed by House members.
Political watchers described the Bill and its passage as a ”laughable demeaning act,” saying ”it points to the fact that members of the House are really not interested in making meaningful, impactful laws for the country.”
”This shouldn’t have come to the House for debate in the first place,” says one Lagos resident, adding that ”there are more pertinent issues to debate,” such as the rising number of displaced Nigerians in the country, hunger and insecurity threatening to tear the nation apart.
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