Confusion as Tinubu, Ministers Recite Old National Anthem at FEC Meeting

A video showing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) reciting Nigeria’s former national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” during an official council meeting has sparked widespread reactions and questions across social media.

The viral footage, which has been widely circulated online, captured President Tinubu arriving at the meeting venue and greeting ministers with “good afternoon” before members of the council stood to sing “Arise, O Compatriots.”

The development has attracted public attention because the anthem is no longer Nigeria’s official national anthem.

In 2024, President Tinubu signed the National Anthem Bill, 2024, restoring “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the country’s official national anthem and replacing “Arise, O Compatriots,” which had been in use since 1978.

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The restoration marked a return to Nigeria’s independence-era anthem after more than four decades of the former anthem serving as the country’s official national song.

The video has since generated debate among Nigerians, with many questioning why the former national anthem was rendered during an official Federal Executive Council meeting despite the change in national policy.

As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Government had not issued an official statement explaining whether the use of the former anthem was intentional, ceremonial, or the result of a protocol oversight.

The incident has continued to fuel discussions on social media, with many Nigerians calling for clarification from relevant government authorities to prevent future confusion over official national symbols.

The video clip: