The House of Representatives has passed a bill to reinstate the old National Anthem, despite fervent opposition from some lawmakers.
Sponsored by Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere, the bill faced heated debate during its second reading and was swiftly rushed through a third reading.
Advocating for the bill, Mr. Ihonvbere argued that the old anthem holds greater significance than the current one, emphasizing its cultural and historical value.
However, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda vehemently opposed the bill, asserting that anthem reform should not be a priority for Nigerians.
“For every law, there must be a spirit to it. If we are asked what is the essence of this law, I would talk about history.
“What does this old national anthem represent? This history dates back to colonialism. We dropped it because we wanted an Anthem to remove us from colonialism. The old anthem was composed by foreigners,” he said.
During the voting process, Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu, presiding over the session, declared the bill passed despite seemingly louder dissenting voices.
The decision sparked outrage among lawmakers, but the Deputy Speaker remained firm in his ruling, swiftly pushing the motion through.
