A viral video from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday has sparked confusion online after President Bola Tinubu and his cabinet ministers were captured reciting the old, revoked national anthem: “Arise, O Compatriots.”
In the footage seen by The Eagle Online after the meeting, the anthem was recited immediately the President entered the meeting venue and greeted everyone by saying: “Good afternoon.”
The old anthem begins with the words, “Arise O’ Compatriots,” while the reintroduced national anthem starts with, “Nigeria, we hail thee.”
The Eagle Online reports that the change to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” followed the signing of the National Anthem Act, 2024, which replaced the anthem adopted in 1978 with the country’s former national anthem first used at independence in 1960.
As of the time of filing this report, it remains unclear why the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recited the old anthem instead of the officially reintroduced version.
The Presidency has not released an official statement explaining why the revoked anthem was played or recited during the FEC meeting.
