By Uche Onyeali
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has commended President Bola Tinubu for taking Nigeria back to the old national anthem.
Akpabio noted that the step is the most profound act of President Tinubu.
The bill seeking to reintroduce the old national anthem was recently passed by the National Assembly, with Tinubu signing it into law yesterday.
Speaking during a joint session of the National Assembly, Akpabio said Nigerians would no longer refer to themselves as “mere compatriots,” but as brothers.
“The senators and members have asked me to congratulate you on your first anniversary since your swearing-in to office.
“I and my brother, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas have explained the purpose of this visit, and this is what we call ‘Waka pass’ in Nollywood.
“Out of honour and respect, you said you must pass through the National Assembly on your first anniversary in office.
“Of all the significant things you have done, the most profound is to take us back to our genealogy — the genealogy of our birth — that though we may belong to different tribes, though we may have different tongues, in brotherhood we stand.
“Henceforth, we won’t refer to ourselves as mere compatriots, we will refer to ourselves as brothers, and as we go into battle in the field of sports or politics, in economic endeavours, we must hail Nigeria,” Akpabio told the president who was at the National Assembly Complex.
The Senate president said the National Assembly is the best place to “commence this revolution of going back to our genealogy.”
