Before the Benin vs Nigeria World Cup qualifying match began, the old national anthem was played, which left a lot of people surprised.
Old national anthem played during Benin vs Nigeria game
”Arise O’compatriots”, which was the old version, was played as the Super Eagles lined up, instead of the newly adopted “Nigeria, we hail thee,” as seen in a video posted on X.
Kilokan Abidjan with new National anthem
Before the Nigeria match started, it was the previous National Anthem that was played
Are they not aware that Nigeria has changed its national anthem?
— Hassan Abdulsalam 🇳🇬 (@ProudlyHassan) June 10, 2024
The newly readopted anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” served as the nation’s anthem, following Nigeria’s independence and was used from 1960 until 1978, before “Arise, O Compatriots” was introduced in 1978. This served as the country’s national anthem until 2024, before the country officially reverted to the formerly used “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” on May 29, 2024.
Sports Buddy recently reported that the new development has sparked controversy among citizens, as many complained about the difficulty of learning a new anthem all over again. The national anthem conundrum was evident during the Troost Ekong Foundation charity game, as Sabinus, Falz, ex-Super Eagles players and other celebrities struggled to recite it.
Despite the pressure of learning the new anthem, it came as a huge surprise that the old one was played before the Benin vs Nigeria match. This made people wonder if it was a mistake or a deliberate act.