President Bola Tinubu and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) have sparked public attention after they were seen reciting Nigeria’s former national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” during a Federal Executive Council meeting held on Monday.
The development was captured in a video from the meeting, which has since circulated widely across social media platforms.
In the footage, President Tinubu and members of his cabinet were heard reciting the anthem that was officially replaced on May 29, 2024, when the President signed the National Anthem Act, 2024, into law, restoring “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the country’s official national anthem.
The legislation reinstated the anthem originally adopted at Nigeria’s independence in 1960, replacing “Arise, O Compatriots,” which had served as the national anthem since 1978.
The incident has raised questions over why the old anthem was recited during an official government function more than a year after the new law took effect.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not issued any official explanation regarding the apparent mix-up.
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