Popular Nigerian controversial activist and businesswoman, Aisha Yesufu has made a bold statement by refusing to stand for the newly adopted national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” at a recent event.
In a recent video shared on her X handle, Aisha Yesufu is seen deliberately ignoring the new anthem. While others stood in respect, she remained seated, flipping through a book and adjusting her glasses.
This act of defiance follows President Tinubu’s signing of the new anthem into law on Wednesday, replacing the previous national anthem ‘Arise O’ Compatriots’.
“Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” originally written by British expatriate Lillian Jean Williams and composed by Frances Berda, was initially replaced by “Arise, O Compatriots.” Critics have long disapproved of the original anthem because of its foreign origins.
The legislative push to reinstate the old anthem was spearheaded by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) and received substantial support from lawmakers.
Advocates of the bill argued that the original anthem better symbolizes unity, peace, and prosperity compared to its successor, which they claim was a product of a military regime and lacked alignment with national values and norms.
Yesufu captioned her video with the hashtag #NotMyNationalAnthem, prompting a wide array of comments from social media users.