Everything wrong with ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’

Contrary to the notion that only a weak man accepts defeat or admits failure, conceding defeat or accepting you have failed is a strength on its own, and that is what the Nigerian government has shown with ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’.

When the pressure builds and all hope is lost on living up to the promises made to the Nigerian people, what other symbolic way to throw in the towel and raise all arms up than taking the entire nation to colonial times?

It takes a courageous man to accept he has failed.

That is what the Bola Tinubu and the Godswill Akpabio led government have done in just under a week with what Nigerians have come to know as ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’. A colonial era national anthem that citizens found as a mockery to the Nigerian identity in times past, just as they still do in the current times.

The government made no consultations with the people, no forums were held, no opinion polls conducted to study reactions of Nigerians towards an anthem recognized solely as a colonial era creation before moving forward with its implementation.

Just like the anthem is, the very move by the government was all too suspicious, autocratic and a mockery to a nation claiming to be a democratic republic.

Of course, the conspiracy theorists had a field day with the theories upon the anthem’s signing into law by the President. Some believe an other power was in play guiding the fingers of Bola Tinubu and the entire Senate chamber, while others believe it was the usual distraction by the government to get Nigerians talking and debating about the national anthem as long as they forget for a second that Bola Ahmed Tinubu had completed one year in Office without any progress.

Theories of course are theories, but when the government start to indulge them, each narrative begins to make meaning to any listening ear.

You can’t blame anyone for believing the fastest bill to be passed by the Senate and implemented into law by the President, that in no way addresses the nation’s pressing matters, does not hold any shady motive behind it.

The ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ aside it being recognized as a colonial anthem formed for Nigerians by a foreign woman, in no way tackles the insecurity plaguing the country. It does not stop secessionist movements from raising other banners that rivals the Nigerian identity. Let’s also talk about the rising inflation and Nigeria’s dwindling economy.

The labour of our heroes past now in vain…

Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ does not raise the economy or bring in investors to relieve the pressure created by the economic meltdown. This isn’t a policy meant to inspire progress in any sector of Nigeria but rather to anger a lot of frustrated Nigerians.

For decades gone by, the Arise O’ Compatriot has grown to mean something to Nigerians, so much so that it has a nostalgic effect on any listener and inspire action or attention. It alluded to the effort of the Nationalists like Late Nnamdi Azikiwe, Anthony Enahoro, Herbert Macaulay and the rest for fighting and gaining Nigeria her independence and sovereignty.

The Nigeria, We Hail Thee now renders their efforts futile, and mocks Nigeria’s so called independence. It also means Nigeria has failed if its anthem 60-years after her independence, still reminds them of their ethnic difference.

By accepting that the likes of Azikiwe, Macaulay etc failed in their quest for independence, the Bola Tinubu administration has accepted the Nigerian government since independence till now, have all failed Nigeria and Nigerians.

And it only takes courage to admit that.