By By Habeeb Ibrahim
Reno Omokri, a deep thinker and bestselling author, has expressed his disappointment and concern over the recent decision to revert to the old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”, written by a foreigner, Lillian Jean Williams.
Omokri argues that this move is a step backward for Nigeria, a country that should be proud of its indigenous culture and identity.
In a passionate article, Omokri questions the priorities of the government, wondering why they would choose to discard the existing anthem, written by a collective of young Nigerians in 1978, in favor of a foreign-written one.
He finds it preposterous that a nation with a rich musical heritage, producing icons like Fela Kuti and Burna Boy, would import a national anthem from Britain.
Omokri also highlights the irony of Nigeria’s name being given by another English lady, Flora Shaw, in 1897, and suggests that it’s time for Nigeria to reclaim its indigenous identity by changing its name to something like the Republic of Wazobia. He also advocates for the original name of Lagos, Eko, to be restored.
The author concludes by urging President Tinubu to reconsider his decision and promote indigenous ideas over imperialistic ones. He believes it’s not too late for the President to take a stand and promote Nigeria’s sovereignty and national psyche.
In Omokri’s words, “Even a Banana Republic would not import a national anthem from a foreigner. We should be proud of our indigenous culture and identity, not discard it for colonial relics.”
