An Inauguration Anthem For The President And Others

FOLLOWING a largely credible and peaceful election, the whole nation now eagerly awaits the inauguration of new governments both at the federal and state levels. God has certainly begun to answer the prayer of Psalm 67 for our nation and has been extremely merciful and gracious to us. As an act of eternal gratitude to God for all these, this writer proffered two weeks ago (in The Guardian on Sunday) an Anthem of National Thanksgiving premised on Psalm 103.

An Inauguration Anthem is hereby tendered to usher in the new leaders, from the President and his vice to all others – governors and legislators.

The anthem prays for grace upon these people for overall success in engineering greater, happier and better Nigeria, as well as incorporates some of the warnings contained in God’s word for leaders.

This anthem is to be sung to the popular tune – The Old Hundredth, which is commonly applied to such hymns as Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow and All People That on Earth Do Dwell among many others. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

God’s Grace to President Buhari
(Tune: The Old Hundredth)
• God’s grace to President Buhari
And to Yemi Osinbajo
To Senators and to our Reps
To Governors and State Assemblies (1 Cor 15: 10)
• Grace to honour their rare mandate
As God’s chosen ones to lead us
And to shepherd the whole nation
And restore faith in governance (Ps 78: 70-71, Rom13: 2)
• Grace to seek out men and women
Of intellect and character
People who truly seek to serve
And to restore our lost glory (Deut 1:13, Act 6:3)
• Grace to heed your holy counsel
That leaders should not seek own wealth
Or multiply wives or substance
Or lift themselves above others (Deut 17: 16-20, 2 Sam 23: 3-4)
• Grace to lead to the Promised Land
That all Nigerians do yearn for
Where life is good, healthy and safe
Where people rejoice and praise God (Ps 72: 13-14, 144:12-15, Prov. 29:2)