The theme ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ was used in the old national anthem from 1960 to 1978, while the version used from 1978 up to early 2024 was titled ‘Arise, O Compatriots’.
Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate, wrote the lyrics to the old anthem, which was composed by another Briton, Frances Benda.
Benedict Odiase, a Nigerian, composed the national anthem, which was adopted in 1978.
The House of Representatives quickly passed the law on May 23, and the Senate followed suit during a public hearing on Tuesday.
President Bola Tinubu signed a bill to reintroduce the former national anthem.
Although the development sparked responses on social media, footage of students reciting the national anthem at their schools on Thursday morning have gone viral.
In one footage, students of Justice and Peace Primary School in Ogbere-Ijebu, Ogun state, were captured reciting the first stanza of the ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ anthem.
In another clip, students of an unidentified primary school could be seen singing the reintroduced anthem at the top of their voices.
Another video shows a school playing a recording of the national anthem during their morning assembly.