Experts have criticized President Bola Tinubu over the new national anthem, saying the national anthem does not change the price of food.
Political analysts, Jideofor Adibe and Sani Yabagi issued the criticism while speaking on the first anniversary of President Tinubu in an interview on Channels Television.
Recall that President Tinubu on Wednesday, signed the new national anthem, ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ into law in the early hours of Wednesday.
The signing of the bill into law ensured that Nigeria jettisoned ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ as its national anthem.
The experts quizzed the significance of changing the national anthem at this critical time, describing it as “shadowboxing”.
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Adobe said, “That for me is shadow boxing. Is that the problem? I think they are leaving the substance to chase the shadow. What does it change? Does it change the price of food in the market?”
While speaking on the development, Yabagi said he believes the issue of the national anthem was introduced as a kind of relief for Nigerians for all that is happening with the economy among others.
He said, “I think it is a way of giving us a kind of breather. It is a way of bringing out some substance in the whole thing that is called Nigeria so that we will now begin to appreciate who we are.”
He, however, expressed concern that the old national anthem the country has now reverted to was written by the colonialists, saying, “we are the pride of Africa, we shouldn’t bring sentiments or things that define us in a different way.”
