Old National Anthem: Keyamo Gives Dickson 48 Hours to Clarify NDC’s Stance

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has given the National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, 48 hours to clarify whether the party officially endorses Nigeria’s former national anthem.

Keyamo made the demand in a post on his X account on Saturday, arguing that the national anthem represents the country’s history, values and sovereignty and serves as a symbol of national unity.

He warned that deliberately replacing the anthem prescribed by law with another could encourage separatist tendencies, adding that a political group whose leader endorsed such an action could be regarded as a secessionist movement.

The minister specifically challenged Dickson, whom he described as a former classmate and friend, to state whether the NDC had formally adopted the old anthem as its own national symbol.

The demand followed an incident at an NDC town hall meeting in the Oregun area of Lagos State on Thursday, where some attendees sang the former national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots”, instead of the current anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”.

The party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was among those seen singing the former anthem and making the NDC’s two-finger gesture.

However, the NDC’s Lagos State governorship candidate, Funso Doherty, later described the singing as a spontaneous reaction by attendees in an emotionally charged atmosphere.

Doherty explained that the current national anthem was also performed at the gathering, maintaining that Nigeria had only one officially recognised national anthem.

The controversy comes after the Federal Government restored “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” in May 2024, replacing “Arise, O Compatriots”, which had served as the national anthem since 1978.

The National Assembly passed the National Anthem Bill, which President Bola Tinubu signed into law on May 29, 2024. The restored anthem was originally adopted when Nigeria gained independence in 1960 before being replaced 18 years later.

The decision to reinstate it attracted mixed reactions, with supporters describing it as a return to the country’s historical identity, while critics questioned the priority given to the change amid economic and security challenges.

In a separate interview with Eagle 102.5 FM on Friday, Keyamo also criticised Obi and other NDC members over the incident, accusing them of disrespecting national symbols, the law and the office of the President.

He questioned whether those involved in the incident demonstrated the responsibility expected of people seeking the country’s highest political office. He also argued that the controversy could affect the party’s appeal among moderate voters.

However, Keyamo acknowledged during the interview that he was unaware of any specific legal penalty for singing the former national anthem. He said the law prescribed the current anthem but did not attach a specific punishment to singing a different one.