By : Sam. Onwuemeodo.
There’s nothing untoward or wrong with the wording of either the first National Anthem or the second one. The one of 1960 to 1978, “Nigeria We Hail Thee”. Or that of 1978 to May 2024, ” Arise, O Compatriots, Nigeria Call Obey”. And today, the Nation has gone back to the first edition. But the fact remains that, nothing, absolutely nothing, could be said to be faulty or wrong with either of the two. ln terms of content. No ambiguity. Very easy to be understood. Easy to recite.
The implementation or acting in line with the wording and the Spirit of any of the Anthems under scrutiny, was the problem. The contradiction. The issue.
The unpatriotic actions and attitude of those who should have ensured that the letters of the Anthems were adhered to, acted in manners and ways that contradicted or submerged the intents of the entire package.
Unfortunately, the victim of these contradictions remain the lgbo. The South East people. The lgbo speaking people of Nigeria. The rest of Nigerians never practised or believed in what the respective Anthems preached or said. They had rather, chosen to do the opposite. To act contrary to the dictates of the Anthems. And their only target for doing that was the South East. The lgbo.
These contradictions, with the lgbo race as victim, made the wording of any of the Anthems not to add up. Not having the expected effect. Not being productive. Not having the end result.
For instance, the first Anthem, from 1960 to 1978 had said, “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”. To what extent did the rest of Nigerians adhere to this, especially between the end of the Civil war in 1970 and today?. The truth remains that they have continued to exclude the lgbo from this ” brotherhood”. They conspired to stand against the lgbo being part of the brotherhood. A tribe that constituted one of the three major pillars or tripod on which the foundation of the nation was laid.
The lgbo man could not be allowed to become the Minister for Works, fifty four years after the Civil war. The current Minister of Works, David Umahi celebrated the development because for him, that’s a feat. Do you understand?. To him, it was unimaginable. That shouldn’t have been the case .
ln “brotherhood” the nation had stood, yet, all the confiscated or seized properties of the lgbos in some parts of the Country after the war have not been returned to them as we write. Fifty four years after the Civil war. So many other issues. In other words, lgbos have not been allowed to be part of this brotherhood owing to the gang up against them to that effect. They have remained totally excluded. That’s the major problem of the first Anthem. Excluding the lgbo, contrary to the brotherhood the Anthem had advocated.
Another stanza said, ” That, truth and justice reign in peace and battle. To hand onto our children a banner without stain”. All these were brazen contradictions. Mere tomfooleries. Where’re the “truth and justice” when the lgbo can’t be allowed to produce the President of this Country, fifty four years after the war? These are the contradictions that made the first Anthem a smokescreen. A
make-believe. Balderdash. Mere rhetoric. Neither here nor there.
Several years after the establishment of EFCC no lgbo, could be deemed fit to head the Commission. And with the development, it looks as if the Commission was established to hunt only the lgbos. You could imagine what could have been the circumstance if Yahaya Bello was to be the former Governor of any of the South East States. They would have even deployed “military drones” to fish him out from wherever he could be. But he’s from a tribe that is part of the ” brotherhood”. They know where he is. Matter closed.
That’s the ” stained banner” they have already handed over to their children. A highly stained banner with the lgbos as the endangered species . At the receiving end. The reason their children insult lgbo leaders with ease . They have already handed over a badly “stained banner” to their children. The contradictions live, with no reprieve at sight .
The lgbos had undergone or experienced high level of oppression against the position or prayer of the Anthem, ” Help Us To Build A Nation Where No Man is oppressed”. The contradictions had remained overwhelming. And that’s the palavar.
The rest of Nigerians have continued to oppress the lgbos. Abba Kyari was released to go and bury the mother. The matter is over. Charges against Miyetti Allah withdrawn. Are you following?
The 1978 to 2024 Anthem had talked about Serving our fatherland ” With Love And Strength And Faith; To Serve With Heart And Might One Nation Bound In Freedom, Peace And Unity”. The contradictions are too numerous to mention. Too numerous to talk about. Too numerous to behold. To catalogue.
ln all these , the lgbos stand totally excluded. For instance, an lgbo can’t own a house in Kaduna and sleep with his two eyes closed. At the slightest altercation, the house would be a prime target for destruction even when the issue in question might not have anything to do with the lgbo. That’s not one “nation bound in freedom, Peace and Unity”. That’s totally the opposite.
The last prayer in the 1978 Anthem was, “To Build A Nation Where Peace And Justice Shall Reign”. This prayer was never answered and didn’t have the prospect of being answerd before President Bola Tinubu’s resolve to drop it for the old one. The question becomes; is there light at the end of the tunnel?. Time will tell. But ask me, l won’t delay to say, l have my doubt.
So, the problem of the two Anthems respectively was not the content or the wording, but the refusal or failure of those who should have made them work and achieve the desired results to do the right thing.
Former President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari had written a five hundred- verse poem in 1948, when he was a teacher at Sokoto Middle School. The title was “Wakar Nigeriya” or ” The Song of Nigeria”.
For several years, the poem was used in Schools throughout Hausa- Speaking areas. But the poem was said to have been banned at the end of the Civil war. Why?. Read.
Reason being that, the poem had talked about, ” Every one prospering in Nigeria without fear and without persecution. Let there be wealth everywhere in Nigeria”. The wording and the spirit of that poem didn’t fit into the mindset of the Northern establishment after the war, about the lgbo. That’s the “stained nation” they have already handed over to their children.
lmagine what could have likely be the situation if the current leaders up there, leave the scene for the younger ones. It would be more turbulent because they have been brainwashed and radicalized against the lgbo and anything lgbo.
Chinua Achebe wrote a book with the title, ” THERE WAS A COUNTRY “. Any other thing to add?. l do not think so. There was a Country. But now, it appears there is a Country. They aren’t the same. One, real. The other, fantasy. From one National Anthem to another.
Until the lgbos are made to know that they are part of the “brotherhood”, the problem would remain. Would continue to linger. lt does not matter how many times the goal post is shifted, but the referee becoming the Daniel that has come to judgement. A child who says that the mother won’t sleep would also remain awake.
That’s where we are today. The lgbo question must be answered and seen to have been answered. Otherwise, forget it. National Anthem of twenty pages would not make a headway. Won’t change anything. Action speaks louder than words. Do you understand now?.
While we continue to clap for Jesus.
