New National Anthem Diversionary – Octogenarian

FROM VICTOR DURUAMAKU, OWERRI

An Owerri based octogenarian and mother of six (6) Chief Mrs Theresa Akasike Nnodum has picked holes with the signing of the new National Anthem into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu describing the act as diversionary.

She argued that reversion to the old National Anthem amounted to leaving the substance and pursuing the shadow, stressing that the President should rather evolve policies and programmes that would alleviate hardship which has made life meaningless for the masses.

Mrs. Theresa Akasike Nnodum who spoke exclusively to our correspondent in Owerri queried the rationale behind the reversion to the old national Anthem when bribery and corruption, armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual killings, abduction and brutal killings of innocent members of the public by unknown gunmen all anchored on insecurity still walk freely on our roads.

The restoration of the old National Anthem would change the psyche and mentality of the people who largely lack spirit of patriotism arising from their state of hopelessness brought about by hunger, starvation, unemployment high cost of living among other odds.

In another opinion, a social activist, Chukwueduche Ofurum applauded President Bola Tinubu for signing into law the old National anthem faulting the other Anthem which reads, “Arise O’ compatriot, Nigeria Call Obey”, saying that it was drafted by the military.

He noted the third line of the anthem that says, “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in Brotherhood we stand was more impactful than the wordings of the later.

“It is more meaningful and impactful in the lives of every Nigerian, because this country is made up of multifarious tribes or nationalities, but without unity. Therefore if we respect the wordings of the anthem, remembering in “In brotherhood we stand; these nationalities bickering, differences and acrimonies can never rear their head, again. I believe that with unity, progress is assured. Let us continue to sing it with faith and believe God to rescue us, “Offurum added.

He however, noted that the national anthem was not the major problem bedeviling the country, argued that the government to articulate the litany of problems facing the country and squarely address all of them.

He said, “There is high inflation, massive hunger, insecurity is at its height peak, marginalization of ethnic nationalities are high in the political scheme of things among many others in Nigeria. So apart from revising the national anthem which has less or nothing to do in economic development of Nigerians, Mr. President should do the needful before there will be anarchy that may probably lead to war”.