Former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili, has vowed not to recite the new national anthem and dared the House of Representatives to prosecute her.
Oby was reacting to a proposed bill by the lawmakers called the Counter Subversion Bill 2024, which aims to impose stringent penalties on Nigerians who fail to recite the national anthem. The bill proposes a 10-year jail term or fine of N5 million.
In her reaction, the former minister said she was ready to serve the jail term rather than reciting the anthem. She described the bill as ‘their ‘obnoxious’ Counter Subversion Bill.’
She insisted that the only national anthem she respected was the old one and not the one reintroduced by President Tinubu.
“I am certain that the Speaker of the @HouseNGR @Speaker_Abbas @nassnigeria knows this for a fact.
Surely, he must know that the so-called #CounterSubversionBill which he introduced -and alleged to be in its second reading- is a silly flight of fancy that further reveals how unserious and irrelevant the lawmakers are to the Nigerian condition.
“I for example have kept my public statement and only stand and sing the REAL Nigerian National Anthem (Arise O Compatriots), never the Colonial and “tribal” one that he and his colleagues conspired with @NGRPresident and kangarooed into “law” in violation of Constitutional processes.
Get ready to “prosecute” me when you pass your noxious #CounterSubversionBill into an Act,” she wrote on her X handle.
She added: “But before then, please note that if there is any group of Nigerians that deserve a Subversion Act, it is you and your colleagues at the @nassnigeria who consistently subvert the progress of Nigeria and her people through your legendary public misdemeanours that accumulate into Bad Governance.
“Your citizens have spoken up in unison asking you and your colleagues in the Executive and Judicial Arms to #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria. You obviously have still not heard the ticking chimes of time. Continue with your irrelevancies while the country totters….. continue if it pays you”.
The bill, which is being sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, is set for its second reading, where its general principles will be debated.
The bill “stipulates that anyone found guilty of destroying national symbols, refusing to recite the national anthem and pledge, defacing a place of worship with intent to incite violence, or undermining the Federal Government shall face a fine of N5 million, a 10-year prison sentence, or both”.
It further “states that anyone who sets up an illegal roadblock performs unauthorised traffic duties, imposes an illegal curfew, or organises an unlawful procession will be subject to a fine of N2 million, five years in prison, or both upon conviction”.
“Any person who “forcefully takes over any place of worship, town hall, school, premises, public or private place, arena, or a similar place through duress, undue influence, subterfuge or other similar activities, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N5 million or imprisonment for a term of 10 years or both”.
“A person who professes loyalty, pledges or agrees to belong to an organisation that disregards the sovereignty of Nigeria, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N3 million or imprisonment for a term of four years or both,” it added among others.