The House of Representatives has introduced the Counter Subversion Bill 2024, which aims to impose stringent penalties on Nigerians who fail to recite the national anthem.
According to the proposed legislation, anyone found guilty of not reciting the national anthem shall be fined N5 million, face a 10-year prison sentence, or both, while anyone who destroys the national symbol or a place of worship shall be subjected to same punishment.
The bill, which was sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, is set to pass its second reading, where the general principles would be debated.
The bill which reads, “stipulates that anyone found guilty of destroying nation 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 also, “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.”
Also any person who, “forcefully takes over 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”.
The bill also reads, “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”.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, in May, signed into the law the bill to revert to Nigeria’s Old National Anthem, which was dropped by a military government in 1978.
The newly re-adopted anthem which begins, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee, was written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 and composed by Frances Berda.
