The switch to the old national anthem by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration has generated mixed reactions on social and traditional media.

The president signed into law a bill reinstating the old national anthem, ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee,’ which was abandoned in 1976.

The signing of the bill into law on Wednesday, May 29 by President Tinubu ensured that Nigeria replaced ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ with its former national anthem.

While the conversation has dominated Nigeria's media space, some experts have criticized Tinubu, indicating that the new anthem doesn't address the real issues like the rising cost of food.

Political analysts Jideofor Adibe and Sani Yabagi shared their thoughts on the first anniversary of President Tinubu in an interview on Channels Television.

The experts questioned the significance of changing the national anthem at this critical time, describing it as “shadowboxing.”

Adibe said, “That, for me, is shadowboxing. Is that the problem? I think they are focusing on the wrong issue. What does it change? Does it impact the cost of food in the market?”

Speaking on the development, Yabagi said he believes the issue of the national anthem was introduced as a kind of distraction for Nigerians from the challenges with the economy and other pressing matters.

He said, “I think it is a way of giving us a kind of breather. It is a way of bringing out some substance in the whole thing that is called Nigeria so that we will now begin to appreciate who we are.”

He, however, expressed concern that the old national anthem the country has now reverted to was written by the colonialists, saying “we are the pride of Africa, we shouldn’t bring sentiments or things that define us in a different way.”