Nigeria, We Hail Thee: A Bittersweet Homecoming

The final days of May 2024 caught Nigeria reverting to the old national anthem, like a large family welcoming back a long-lost family member.

In a grand homecoming, the Red Chamber and the Green Chamber ushered into this household the old national anthem: “Nigeria, we hail thee”.

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While some members of the family have rolled out a red carpet for this home-comer, others are indifferent, whereas many others, taken up with indignation, itch to slam the door on the face of an “unwelcome” guest.

The eager acceptance of the home-comer by the older generationof Nigerians may have stemmed from the nostalgia of cherished memories.

To them, this anthem is more than melody; it is a gateway to the past, a part of their childhood, reminding them of days when Nigeria cast off the shackles of colonialism and drank the fresh wine of freedom, euphoric to see the ship of Nigeria steered by Nigerians, intoxicated with the promise of self-determination.

It reminds them of the collective efforts and shared dreams that formed the foundation of the nation. They nod and say, “The old national anthem is indeed a family”.

For the youth population, however, “Nigeria we hail thee” is an unwelcome distraction in the midst of pressing national issues, particularly, with the sting of economic hardship.

Their contention is that a switch from anthem to anthem is unworthy of the nation’s attention in these challenging times.

Whatever our reaction to the home–comer national anthem is, we should, as a nation, have a conversation about the practical implications of reverting to the old national anthem.

We must be prepared to bear the attendant costs of updating official documents and educational materials, as teachers at elementary and secondary levels of education teach their learners the new national anthem and embed it in school subjects like Social Studies and Civic Education.

Can we also reconcile the generational disconnect surrounding “Nigeria we hail thee”? The youth clearly do not share the nostalgic sentiments of the older generation.  

What if we sweeten the deal for them by keeping the lyrics and swapping the solemn tune/beats with the pulsating fast-paced beats of hip-hop musical style which is favoured by the youth? That could be a bridge between the old and the new.

More importantly, can we have a major national dialogue where we map out a strategy for the actualization of the creed in“Nigeria we hail thee”?

The line about passing a banner without stain to our children, for example, should be discussed.

Can we be honest with ourselves that this banner is stained already, to put it mildly? Can we pool political resources to launder it?

Finally, we could woo the youth by reintroducing not just the old national anthem, but the essence of the era when it was sung.

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More job opportunities and affordable prices of goods were some of the markings of that era. Can we replicate those too?

After all, the guest that comes bearing goodies is likely win the heart of a child than the one who comes bearing none.

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