President Bola Tinubu and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) were heard reciting Nigeria’s former national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” during a council meeting on Monday, despite the government’s reinstatement of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the country’s official anthem.

The development was captured in a video from the FEC meeting that has been widely circulated on social media.

In the footage, President Tinubu and cabinet members were seen reciting “Arise, O Compatriots,” the anthem that ceased to be Nigeria’s official national anthem after the President signed the National Anthem Act, 2024, into law on May 29, 2024.

The legislation restored “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” Nigeria’s independence-era anthem first adopted in 1960, replacing “Arise, O Compatriots,” which had served as the national anthem since 1978.

The Federal Government announced the change as part of efforts to restore the country’s original national symbols following the passage of the National Anthem Bill by the National Assembly.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not issued any explanation for the recitation of the old anthem during the FEC meeting.