The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Sunday berated the Ondo state government over the adoption of Oduduwa anthem in public secondary schools in the State.
Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the forum described the development as a very serious assault on the integrity of Nigeria.
The state government had, in a circular dated May 6, 2021, signed by Tolu Adeyemi, Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Teaching Service Commission and addressed to the Tutors-General, All TESCOM zonal directors and principals of public secondary schools in the state, said it was mandatory to recite the anthem in all functions in public secondary schools across the state.
The Precision NG reports that the state executive council had on February 18, 2021, approved the adoption of an indigenous Yoruba anthem which projects the virtues, tradition and culture of the Yoruba race.
Akeredolu during the council meeting noted that the anthem would be rendered immediately after the National Anthem at state functions.
Baba-Ahmed added in the statement released on Sunday that, “If this is true, it represents a very serious assault on the integrity of the country by people who have sworn to uphold and protect it.”
He said such an action cannot be defended in any terms other than a provocation and a play at the gallery seeking to widen the damaging divide between Nigerians along ethnic and regional lines.
“There’s only one anthem our children should sing and recognize. If there are other symbols with cultural significance they should be made to identify with, it should not be elevated to the level of a national anthem, or even supersede it.
“If the federal government is on its toes protecting the boundaries of our unity and national integrity, it would challenge this in court. It would also raise its levels of vigilance over the drift by politicians enjoying the benefits of our constitution who are pandering to very dangerous divisive tendencies,” he said.
Additional information from Daily Trust.
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