Nigeria we hail thee: Reps pass bill seeking return to scrapped colonial national anthem

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill seeking a return to the old national anthem.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, the sponsor of the proposed law, Julius Ihonvbere, anchored his argument on the need for patriotism and nationalism.

In his contribution, Chinda, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party noted that the old national anthem was a colonial heritage which should not be considered in a post-independent Nigeria.

His argument was supported by the member representing Jere Federal Constituency, Borno State, Mr Ahmad Satomi.

Another Borno lawmaker, Ahmed Jaha, however, supported the bill arguing that the wordings in the new anthem are verbal expressions that have no substance in the affairs of the Nigerian State.

The bill was presented for a second reading on Thursday, considered at the committee of the whole, approved and read for the third time.

The bill will now be sent to the Senate for concurrence before being sent to the president for assent.