The Stark Reality Behind Nigeria’s National Anthem

 

I went to bed thinking about the need to learn the new national anthem.

There’s a need to hail Nigeria in the morning, afternoon, and night, but how do we sing of unity and pride when the reality is tainted by corruption, joblessness, insecurity, hunger, poverty, and a growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs)?

The anthem, with its stirring call to nationhood, now feels like a distant echo, overshadowed by the despair that grips so many Nigerians.

In the morning, as the sun rises, the words "Nigeria we hail thee" ring hollow for those who wake up to the harsh reality of unemployment and low wages for civil servants. The anthem speaks of brotherhood, yet on the streets, countless young people, armed with degrees and dreams, search in vain for jobs that don’t exist. Their mornings begin not with hope, but with the dread of another day spent chasing opportunities that seem forever out of reach.

By the afternoon, when the anthem's lines about truth, justice, and peace echo in our minds, they clash with the blatant corruption and insecurity that plague every level of governance. Those entrusted with the nation’s wealth betray it, while ordinary citizens are left to bear the brunt of their greed. How can one stand proud and serve when the very system is rigged against them? The anthem’s promises feel like empty words to those who suffer daily under the weight of a corrupt and unjust system, as well as the constant threat of violence and insecurity.

As evening falls, the anthem's prayer for "a banner without stain" feels more like a lament. Families gather, not in celebration of the nation's progress, but in quiet resignation to its failings. The anthem's plea for a nation where "no man is oppressed" rings hollow in homes where parents worry about their children's futures, knowing that the same cycle of corruption and unemployment awaits them. The dire conditions in IDP camps and the widespread hunger and poverty only deepen the sense of despair.

There’s a need to hail Nigeria, but how does one sing of peace and plenty when so many go to bed hungry, their potential wasted in a country that offers them little? The anthem's vision of a blessed nation seems distant, a dream that remains unfulfilled for the millions who are left to navigate the harsh realities of daily life.

In this Nigeria, where corruption, joblessness, insecurity, and poverty have bred a deep sense of hopelessness, the anthem is no longer just a song. It is a reminder of what could have been—a vision of a nation that stands tall, untainted, where every citizen has a place and a purpose.

But until we confront and overcome the challenges that plague us, the anthem will remain a haunting reminder of the gap between our aspirations and our reality.

Victor Omoha