The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has firmly stood by its version of the new national anthem, asserting its correctness despite recent criticisms. This stance was communicated by the NOA’s Director-General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, through a statement issued on Tuesday by Paul Odenyi, the agency’s Deputy Director of Press.
The controversy arose during a Senate plenary session when Senate President Godswill Akpabio pointed out errors in lines three, five, and 18 of the national anthem released by the NOA. Akpabio’s observations prompted a response from Issa-Onilu, who defended the integrity of the NOA’s rendition of the anthem.
Issa-Onilu’s response highlights the NOA’s commitment to its version of the anthem, suggesting that any identified discrepancies are not errors but rather intentional updates or corrections made by the agency. This defense aims to reassure the public and government officials of the NOA’s authority and accuracy in the matter of national symbols.
“Where you have, ‘Nigerians all, are proud to serve’, they said ‘Nigerians all, and proud to serve’, that is number one, it should be ‘are’.
“And then it said ‘though tribes and tongues may differ’, they said, ‘though tribe and tongue, I hope you understand and at the end where we said ‘Nigeria shall be blessed’, they did not say so. They said ‘Nigeria may be blessed’.
“We are using the word shall, which is compulsion, that this country shall be blessed. So, tell the National Orientation Agency to drop what they are circulating now. Congratulations to all of us” Mr Akpabio said.
