Social critic and activist Aisha Yesufu has boldly declared that she would rather spend 20 years in prison than sing the newly adopted national anthem, which she referred to as “Tinubu’s anthem.”
Her statement comes in response to a proposed Bill that seeks to impose severe penalties on those who refuse to recite the national anthem or take actions that could lead to separatist agitation or inter-group conflict in Nigeria.
The Bill, sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and currently awaiting its second reading, suggests a punishment of 25 years imprisonment, a fine of ₦10 million, or both, for individuals convicted of actions deemed to incite sectional conflict or undermine national unity.
Additionally, the Bill includes a provision that any person who refuses to recite the national anthem or pledge, destroys national symbols, or defaces places of worship with the intent to cause violence, shall face a fine of ₦5 million, 10 years imprisonment, or both.
Reacting to this, Yesufu took to social media platform X, where she made her defiant stance clear.
“Will choose 20 years in prison rather than sing Tinubu’s anthem passed by slaves masquerading as lawmakers in the National Assembly,” she posted.
Yesufu has been a vocal critic of the new anthem, titled “Nigeria We Hail Thee,” which was recently adopted to replace the previous national anthem.
FirstNews reported that Yesufu publicly rejected the anthem, and in a video shared on her official X handle, she can be seen sitting during the recitation of the anthem at a recent event, while others stood. She captioned the video: “Not my anthem.”
Her outspoken rejection of the new anthem and her willingness to face imprisonment rather than comply with the new legislation highlights the growing dissent among some Nigerians toward recent government policies under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.