Old anthem sung spontaneously, new one followed at NDC event — Doherty
By Ayobami Okerinde
LAGOS, Nigeria—Funso Doherty, the Lagos State governorship candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), clarified that the singing of Nigeria’s former national anthem during a recent party town hall meeting was an unplanned reaction from attendees.
Speaking on Nigeria Info 99.3FM on Friday, Doherty noted that the current national anthem was also performed after the crowd sang the older version. He indicated that the event organizers could not manage the spontaneous response from the large audience, given the heightened emotions present at the meeting.
“The point to be made is that if you watched that show, you will see that the new national anthem was actually sung after that initial singing of the old national anthem,” Doherty stated. “What happened was it was a spontaneous thing by the crowd.”
He emphasized that the official anthem was sung subsequently, affirming, “We only have one national anthem, and ultimately that was what we sang.”
Doherty’s comments follow an incident at the NDC town hall meeting on Thursday, where party presidential candidate Peter Obi and other attendees reportedly chose not to stand during the singing of the current anthem. According to reports, the event anchor subsequently transitioned to the former anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” which was then sung by Obi and other supporters.
The event has sparked criticism, particularly from Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and Reno Omokri, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Mexico.
During a stakeholders’ town hall in Rivers State, Wike accused Obi of showing disrespect toward Nigeria’s national symbols, questioning his commitment to the country. “A whole national anthem of a country is being sung. A man who wants to be President of Nigeria would disobey and sit down,” Wike remarked, adding that anyone who disrespects the national anthem should not aspire to leadership.
“Someone who derives joy in ridiculing the country by disrespecting its symbolic National Anthem must not be allowed to come near the presidency of our country,” he said.
Omokri echoed similar sentiments, highlighting that the Constitution, national anthem, and national football team serve as apolitical symbols that unite Nigerians. He referenced Section 24(a) of the 1999 Constitution, which emphasizes the obligation of citizens to respect national symbols and institutions.
“The Constitution, National Anthem, and the National Football Team are three apolitical symbols that unite all Nigerians,” Omokri stated. He expressed concern over political leaders who disregard these symbols, questioning how they could be entrusted with the fate of the nation.
“If you won’t respect your country’s Constitution, your homeland’s National Football Team, or your nation’s National Anthem, how do you expect 235 million Nigerians to entrust you with their fate?” he asked.
In a related development, President Bola Tinubu signed the National Anthem Bill into law on May 29, 2024, reestablishing “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” first adopted at independence in 1960, as the country’s official anthem. This legislation replaced “Arise, O Compatriots,” in use since 1978.
