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'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), has praised the National Assembly for passing the bill to repeal the current National Anthem and revert to the original National Anthem which commenced with the independence of Nigeria on October 1st, 1960.
The commendation was given today at a press conference by the national chairman of ZLP, Chief (Barr) Dan Nwanyanwu at party national secretariat.
DAILY COURIER reports that The House of Representatives passed a bill to revert to the old national anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”.
The bill was quickly passed through first second and third reading within minutes. At the Senate, the bill scaled through first and second reading. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to report back to the house in two weeks.
Nwanyanwu who said he was vindicated having canvassed for the repeal of the current National Anthem during the presidential campaign because in his words: "it with a meaningless Anthem that makes mockery of Nigeria's diversity and yearning for Unity."
The chairman questioned the rationale behind the repealed Independence Anthem by the military while many countries have preserved their anthems for centuries.
"I feel vindicated by this noble act of the 10th National Assembly which was in complete consonance with my Presidential Manifestofor the 2023 Presidential election where I vigorously canvassed forthe return to Nigeria's original National Anthem. What the National Assembly has done, has not only proved that it is sensitive to the yeaning's of the people but it's also abundantly clear that there was no justifiable reason to have tampered with the 1960 National Anthem of Nigeria to the extent of replacing it with a meaningless Anthem that makes mockery of Nigeria's diversity and yearning for Unity.
"The National Anthem of a country is so symbolic that it becomes strange that when Military adventurists without any form of consultation or logic, repealed Nigeria's cherished National Anthem by military fiat. Many countries of the world have retained their National Anthem for several Centuries as long as they existed as a Nation. Nigeria unfortunately has become a guinea pig that everything is experimented on without a convincing reason.
"The 1960 National Anthem of Nigeria touches the very core of our diversity, and religious complexities.
"Nigeria we Hail thee
Our own dear Native Land
Though tribe and Tongue may defer
In brotherhood we stand
Nigerians all, and proud to serve
Our own sovereign motherland"
That National Anthem evokes emotions and the call for a United Nigeria where equity justice will reign supreme with no citizen oppressed and a section being preponderant over others with clear equality of citizens.These are the reasons I gave when I canvassed for the reverting to the original National Anthem.
"I join all well-meaning Nigerians in commending the National Assembiy and its leadership for their courage and patriotism in this regard" he submitted.
He called on the president to quickly assent to the bill without delay.
"I urge Mr. President to waste no time assenting to this bill without delay and history will record the enactment of this landmark Act to his credit" Nwanyanwu added.
