Vox Pop: Student Opinions on Nigeria’s New-Old Anthem

Agnes Oyedokun
With Nigeria recently reinstating its former national anthem, opinions among the public are deeply divided. The decision has sparked debates on its necessity, its impact on national identity, and the priorities of the Nigerian government. Some students in the Faculty of Arts shared their thoughts on this change.
Temidayo Morankinyo, a 400-level student, shared a candid opinion, emphasizing that the change is unnecessary and untimely. “In a sane country, the anthem should reinforce certain values in the citizens, but in Nigeria, we sing the anthem for singing’s sake,” Temidayo explained. “Changing from the former to this one does not change anything; it won’t instill new values nor make us strive to ensure the labors of our heroes past won’t be in vain. I think it’s a waste of time and a way for the government to show that they have achieved something. It will also be hard on some people having to unlearn and relearn the new anthem.”
Fiyinfoluwa Ibraheem from the Department of Communication and Language Arts expressed similar sentiments, critiquing the decision’s lack of substantive impact. “Well, I think the decision to implement the ‘old-new’ national anthem is a very flawed one, given that it has no impact whatsoever on the well-being of the nation. The previous national anthem was fine as it was. I feel the Nigerian leadership just carried it out to give the impression of doing something, and sometimes I feel there is something more clandestine about the decision, considering the speed at which it passed through the legislature and the lack of noticeable impact that changing the anthem can cause.”
Faith Adeniran was particularly vocal about the policy’s implications and the message it sends about the government’s priorities. “My opinion on the new national anthem is that the policy is unsurprising and reveals more about the unseriousness of the federal government. Just as several Nigerians have complained, what is the justification for returning to the old anthem that contains derogatory words like ‘native,’ ‘tribe,’ etc.? Is that the best thing the Tinubu-led government can provide as a solution to all the social and economic instability? It has also revealed how irresponsible the legislative arm of the country is. An assembly that could not find any fault in the current situation of the country or even challenge the executives to step up to work was quick to pass that ineptitude bill within two weeks. All the old-new anthem brouhaha has shown how careless the people at the helm of this country are about the welfare of the citizens.”
Tofunmi Kayode, another 400-level student, questioned the fundamental rationale behind the change. “Well, I have nothing much to say. All I want to ask the government is: will the new anthem restore or transform Nigeria? And why can’t we believe in our own anthem, our voice, our lyrics, our tune? Why must we readopt the anthem our colonial master gave us?”
These responses demonstrate the widespread skepticism among students, who doubt the efficacy and necessity of the anthem change as well as the wider goals and objectives of the Nigerian government. The students express fears that the government should be tackling urgent problems including social injustice, economic instability, and political corruption instead of concentrating on symbolic gestures. Their comments show their dissatisfaction with what they perceive to be a delaying technique used by the government to look proactive while neglecting to address more serious and pressing issues. This attitude implies a lack of faith in the government’s capacity to implement significant change and a demand for more significant initiatives that attend to the needs and problems the country faces.