The Presidency has officially debunked a viral video that recently surfaced online, which appeared to show President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) reciting the old Nigerian national anthem.
Contrary to claims that the event was recent, the Presidency clarified that the footage is from a 2023/2024 FEC meeting and does not represent current proceedings.
The video had sparked significant online criticism, with many Nigerians questioning why the President and his ministers would recite the discontinued anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” instead of the officially reintroduced version, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which became the country’s anthem on May 29, 2024.
Reacting to the circulation of the clip, the President’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, highlighted specific details within the footage that confirm it predates the official change.
“This video has Dr Iziaq Salako as the Hon Minister for State on Environment at the 0:22 minutes. He was later reassigned to the Ministry of Health in October 2024,” Olusegun explained.
He further noted that the video features the “HM, Ministry of Niger Delta, a ministry that was dissolved in October 2024.”
Concluding his statement, Olusegun dismissed the notion that the meeting was recent by stating, “The new national anthem became official on May 29th, 2024. Verdict: This video was from a 2023/2024 FEC meeting.”
He also expressed frustration regarding the source of the misinformation, stating, “We are unlucky to have these lots as the source of journalism in Nigeria when they keep working hard everyday to make a mess of the noble profession.”
