President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stated that bringing back the old national anthem, “Nigeria will hail thee,” has always been a priority for him.
On Thursday, May 30, in the State House in Abuja, he revealed this to the leaders of the Arewa Consultative Forum, or ACF.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu stated that he only followed the legislative when it was necessary, emphasizing that the National Assembly was the one who enacted the legislation restoring the old national anthem to preserve and honor Nigeria’s diversity.
He said, “Let me allude to something that happened yesterday. The change of national anthem, ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’.
“Some people say, okay, say what? Is that your priority? It’s my priority. I agree with the National Assembly. If they make a law, I’ve got to obey that law, or we disagree openly and close the chapter.
“But the question of diversity. Who gave us the name Nigeria? Is it not Britain? Or somewhere? Have we changed our name? We are Nigerians. Our passport shows that.
“As long as we are Nigerians and one family, we remain and protect our diversity and love one another as brothers and sisters.
“It is God Almighty that puts you in that particular place and makes you a member of that family. You have no control over it.
“When I came begging for votes, I didn’t say vote for me as a Yoruba man, I said vote for me as Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
