National figures have sharply criticized a proposed House of Representatives bill that would impose severe penalties for refusing to recite Nigeria’s national anthem.
Sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the bill is scheduled for a second reading, where its general principles will be debated.
The bill proposes a 10-year prison sentence and/or a fine of N5 million for individuals who refuse to recite the national anthem or pledge, destroy national symbols, deface places of worship to incite violence, or undermine the Federal Government.
It also includes penalties for setting up illegal roadblocks, performing unauthorized traffic duties, imposing illegal curfews, organizing unlawful processions, and forcibly taking over public or private places.
The proposed legislation follows President Bola Tinubu’s May decision to reinstate Nigeria’s old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” originally composed by Frances Berda and written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959. This anthem replaced “Arise O Compatriots,” which had been the national anthem since 1978.
Activists have voiced strong opposition to the bill. Aisha Yesufu, who had previously sat out the anthem’s recitation, stated she would prefer a 20-year prison sentence over singing the reintroduced anthem.
Similarly, former minister Obiageli Ezekwesili has declared she will continue to sing the old anthem, criticizing the bill as a “flight of fancy” that reflects poorly on the lawmakers’ seriousness and relevance to Nigeria’s issues.
Ezekwesili further accused the National Assembly of subverting Nigeria’s progress and urged the government to address the broader issues of governance rather than focusing on the anthem.
