Fagbemi, who spoke during a public hearing on the bill organised by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, insisted that such an important issue should not be done by legislative fiat.
He said that as commendable as the move by both chambers of the National Assembly might be on enacting a law on National Anthem or replacing the current with the old, Nigerians must be carried along for their required ‘buy-in’.
He said: “In some cases, the national anthem emerges from open national competition among interested citizens. In other instances, the proposed national anthem is subjected to a plebiscite or referendum before its eventual adoption or declaration.
“The essence of the foregoing is to secure the buy-in and confidence of the people and to ensure that the anthem meets their collective aspirations and suits their contemporary socio-political conditions.
“Against the background of the foregoing, I am of the considered opinion that the revered issue of choice of a national item should not come into being only by legislative fiat, or presidential proclamation alone.
“The outcome of this process is bound to be a true reflection of the wishes of the generality or majority of Nigerians.”
In his submission, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, recommended that the scope should be expanded to include a robust issue on national identity rather than limiting it to a change of national anthem.
The minister, who was represented by the Director-General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, noted that some lines in the old national anthem do not make a complete meaning.
Also, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) called for wider consultations for Nigerians to accept whatever National Anthem is proposed and buy into it.
According to him, the National Assembly should widen the scope of participation in the process of coming up with such an Act for general acceptability.
Ozekhome, who supported the move to replace the current National Anthem, said such a move was long overdue since the current National Anthem adopted in 1978 does not have the required gravitas and is not inspirational to fire the passion and zeal for nationhood among Nigerians.
Other stakeholders, in their submissions, preferred the old National Anthem to the current one.
