National Anthem: I Will Miss ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ – Singer, Teni Says

Teniola Apata, the popular Nigerian singer, who is simply known as Teni, has reacted to the change of Nigeria’s national anthem.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law to reinstate the old anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”

Reacting, Teni said she would miss the replaced National Anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots.”

She noted that she made so many childhood memories with the former anthem.

On her X handle, Teni wrote: “Arise o compatriots, I’ll miss you, thank you for so many childhood memories. till we meet again, love SM.”

‘Arise, O compatriots’ was adopted as Nigeria’s National Anthem in 1978.

The lyrics were composed by John A. Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, B. A. Ogunnaike, Sota Omoigui and P. O. Aderibigbe.

The anthem was performed by the Nigeria Police Band under the directorship of B. E. Odiasse.

By the implication of the National Anthem Bill 2024 which was recently signed into law by President Tinubu, ‘Arise, O compatriots’ has now officially been replaced by the old anthem, ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ as Nigeria’s National Anthem.