Following the signing into law of a new National Anthem, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has assured Nigerians that a standardised version of the anthem will be issued by the Agency after consultation with stakeholders.
Director General of the Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu gave the assurance after several versions of the anthem appeared on the social media, with the community Orientation and mobilization officers (COMOS) also reporting citizens’ confusion with the correct lyrics, instrumental and audio rendition of the anthem.
According to him, “our COMOS whom we ordered to learn the new national anthem have come up with a feedback that many of our people are eager to learn and promote the new anthem but are confused which of the ones they find online is the correct version. They have asked questions about which of the stanzas is the national prayer”
The Director General also assured that a decision whether any of the stanzas will be adopted as national prayer will be taken after the necessary approval procedure.
He advised government Agencies who seek to play the anthem at their functions to revert to the Agency for the official copy of the new Anthem.
Paul Odenyi
Deputy Director, Press