Abstract:
This paper examines Nigeria’s ‘new’ national anthem through the lens of critical discourse analysis. At Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the country’s first national anthem was ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’. This anthem was replaced in 1978 with the famous ‘Arise O Compatriots’, which lasted for almost half a century before the country reinstated the former anthem in 2024. This move was described by most local commentators as ‘an old wine in a new bottle’. Therefore, it is this reinstated anthem that this paper attempts to explore using van Dijk’s (1998) Critical Discourse Analysis, especially the notion of ideology in discourse. This study employs a purposive sampling technique to source the text of the anthem online and subjects it to critical analysis. The findings reveal that the anthem was reinstated by Nigeria’s ruling class due to some latent ideologies imbued therein. In other words, in the present era, when the country is plagued by a plethora of ethnolinguistic and sociopolitical challenges, the citizens need to inculcate the messages contained in the anthem. This may usher in a new era of social stability in the country.
Keywords: Discourse, Ideology, National Anthem, Nigeria, Social Practice
DOI: www.doi.org/10.36349/tjllc.2026.v05i01.014
author/Dr. Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf & Dr. Adamu Idris
journal/Tasambo JLLC 5(1) | February 2026 |
