…Speaker Explains Why President Didn’t Address Joint National Assembly

Twenty-ninth May is a unique date in the political calendar of the country. It is so important that activities are always lined up to celebrate the day. This year, non-verification of critical information almost took the shine off the day’s activities. Some thought it was a public holiday and a lot of primary and secondary school students did not go to school. But the National Assembly was bubbling with life as members hosted the President.

It was a fairly busy day for the President who had initially cancelled all forms of celebrations and directed his ministers to speak to Nigerians on their activities in the past year. No fanfare, no national broadcast.

Despite the mix-up in the itinerary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the 29 May activities to mark his one year in office, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen explained that the President declined to address the joint session of the National Assembly because all activities to mark the Democracy Day in the country have been shifted to 12 June. Recall that the former administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had declared 12 June as Democracy Day in 2018.

Hon. Tajudeen admitted the House’s error in inviting the president to address a joint session, stressing that the lawmakers have been “corrected by the president”. According to him, the president will only flag off the Old National Anthem which has come into effect with the signing of the National Anthem Bill.

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced at the joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives that President Tinubu has signed the bill seeking to reintroduce the old national anthem into law. He said the president signed the bill into law Wednesday morning.

But after several confusing statements and signals, President Tinubu briefly addressed the joint session of the National Assembly after initially declining to do so.
The president addressed the session for about seven minutes, touching on the newly- signed National Anthem law.

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who had earlier announced that the president would not address the lawmakers, appealed to him to briefly speak to them before doing a “waka pass”.

“Waka pass” is a slang used predominantly by theatre art practitioners to describe when an actor does not say anything in a movie scene but just walks by.

Following the appeal, the president briefly talked about the planned 2024 supplementary budget and sustaining democracy.

“We must not risk this democracy. Build this democracy so that the future of our children will be productive and prosperous,” the President stressed adding that the national anthem symbolises the country’s diversity.

“This is our diversity—representing all cradles and how we play together to be brothers and sisters. Without this House, probably I may not find the path to the presidency,” he said.

The president called for solidarity and collaboration to help drive the country. He added that no other nation can help Nigeria.

He also disclosed plans to transmit a supplementary budget proposal to the National Assembly for passage.

“No other institution will help us except we do it ourselves. No amount of aid from foreign countries will help us. Let us work together to build our nation. Not only for us but for generations yet unborn. charting a new path.

“We are walking the talk. I will soon bring the 2024 Appropriation Bill (Supplementary Budget)—that is just for your information, but we must not risk this democracy, build this nation so that the future of our great ground children will be sure of prosperity and progress,” President Tinubu said.

Ms. Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria during its independence, penned the lyrics for “Nigeria, we hail thee,” while Frances Berda composed the music. The anthem played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s national identity and unity during the 1960s and late 1970s.

The second national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” replaced “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” in 1978. On May 23, 2024, the House of Representatives passed a bill to revert to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”.

President Tinubu, who later joined the joint session, confirmed ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’ as the “latest national anthem”.

Senator Akpabio said the sitting was primarily to launch the new national anthem, explaining that the President would not be making a speech because he has to leave to launch the Abuja metro line.

The Senate and the House of Representatives had previously passed the legislation to swap the national anthem from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” at separate sittings.

Shortly after he led National Assembly members in singing the national anthem, the management of the National Assembly named its library after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It is now to be called “Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu Building.” The library, also called the Resource Centre, was commissioned on Wednesday by President Tinubu after he addressed a joint session of the National Assembly.

The construction of the library started during the 9th Assembly under the chairmanship of Senator Ahmed Lawan as senate president and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker of the House of Representatives.

Shortly after, the President flagged – off Abuja Light Rail Mass Transit as part of activities marking his first year in office. He directed that the Abuja Rail Mass Transit, also known as Metro Line, will offer free rides till the end of the year.

The President also commissioned some road projects that were started over a decade ago. He commended the Federal Capital Territory (FCT ) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike for delivering the project, describing him as Mr Project.

Among those at the event were Vice President Kashim Shettima, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, and Mr Gbajabiamila.

Below is the reintroduced NATIONAL ANTHEM:

Nigeria We Hail Thee: Three stanzas of the old national anthem

Nigeria we hail thee,
Our dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood, we stand,
Nigerians all, and proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.

Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle, honoured,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.

O God of all creation,
Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.