The Nationwide Meeting is reported to be within the strategy of reinstating the previous nationwide anthem, ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ that was displaced by ‘Come up! O Compatriots’ a few years in the past. The previous was thrown out as a result of it was composed by the mistress of the then colonial grasp, Lord Lugard, Miss Shaw. The argument by the army authorities of Common Olusegun Obasanjo that gave the order was that Nigerians wanted one thing of their very own, an anthem composed by Nigerians for Nigerians. A complete committee was arrange for that function.
That the previous anthem is coming again, many years after, is proof that the work of the committee, made up of eminent and distinguished Nigerians, couldn’t stand the take a look at of time. Curiously, and in that frenzied haste, the critics of that music forgot that the identical girl gave Nigeria the title she bears until date. In addition they didn’t take time to hearken to the lyrics that, in our opinion, conveyed a greedy patriotic fervour that’s clearly missing within the one that’s changing it.
Media experiences point out that the Home of Representatives have already handed the invoice whereas it has handed the second studying within the Senate. As a newspaper, we commend the lawmakers for initiating the method of bringing again a good looking music of a nation trashed, unnecessarily, on the premise of inexplicable emotion devoid of important considering. However that’s the place the commendation ought to finish.
Because the critics of the legislative transfer identified, this isn’t the time to take pleasure in such flights of fancy. Not at a time Nigerians predict their representatives to make legal guidelines that add worth to their lives. They anticipate legislations that result in, in sensible phrases, progress and improvement and, additionally, current the nation to the worldwide neighborhood as a nation severe in its strategy to governance with utmost curiosity within the welfare of the residents.
The query on the lips of most Nigerians for the reason that diversionary legislative course of commenced is, what subsequent? It is very important observe that on the dimensions of precedence, nationwide anthem, as essential as it’s, pales in relevance to a folks bugged down by the hassles of every day survival, in a scenario the place the ruling elite preach austerity simply as they take pleasure in senseless bohemian libertinage. Afterall, a part of the anthem of one of many nations in Southern Africa was borrowed from the music of Nigeria’s Sony Okosun. What this implies is that, if the lyrics of a music displays the nationwide sentiments of a folks at any given time, ought to the composer be a problem as such? To not be misunderstood, the anthem of any nation ought to hold with it the emotions of nationalism, patriotism and such stage of significance that reminds certainly one of what it means to be a citizen, the calls for and expectations.
This Nationwide Meeting, the tenth Session, is sort of one yr previous. Since coming into workplace, and by way of impartation on the lifetime of the folks, what’s their file? Nigerians have the felt impression that it’s concerning the worst since 1999. They level to the safety scenario within the nation and the unbridled menace of bandits, kidnappers and terrorists. Progressively, agriculture, within the nation, is locked in a lethal wrestle with enemies of society as farmers can not go to their farms for worry of being kidnapped and even killed. The unhappy impact of this improvement is that the costs of meals objects are hitting the roof because the prospect of mass starvation looms so massive.
Nigerians additionally level out the excessive price of dwelling among the many odd people and the concupiscence that’s the way of life of the political elite. When they don’t seem to be shopping for unique automobiles for themselves, they’re embarking on frivolous holidays that query their dedication to the responsibility of constructing legal guidelines for good governance of the nation.
The Nationwide Meeting appears on as the common Nigerian is squeezed every day for one type of tariff or the opposite. They conceal their heads within the sand as companies, as important as electrical energy and gas, are recklessly taken out of the attain of the fabled widespread man. The lawmakers stand unperturbed as youths, the engine room of progress of any nation, wallow in disaster-laden unemployment. They really feel nonplussed as overseas buyers flee the nation and native enterprises shut store due to the tough enterprise atmosphere.
In our thought-about opinion, the choice by the Nationwide Meeting to convey a few change within the nation’s nationwide anthem presently, with all its points of interest, is a transparent misplacement of precedence. It depicts our political leaders, specifically, these within the legislative arm, as a lazy bunch way more involved with attracting media consideration to themselves than enjoying their designed roles within the lives of the folks. They expose themselves as leaders who’ve misplaced contact with the wants and aspirations of the folks whom they declare to signify.