President Bola Tinubu addressed a joint sitting of the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, as the nation celebrated 25 years of unbroken democracy.

Arriving at the parliament at 12:28 pm, accompanied by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, the President was greeted by lawmakers reciting the new national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which he had recently signed into law.

In his address, President Tinubu thanked the lawmakers for their efforts in sustaining Nigeria’s democracy over the past 25 years.

“Out of respect, I want to say thank you very much. This is the institution building the country,” he said. “To our friends, old and new, and to every Nigerian, I say congratulations on 25 years of unbroken democracy.”

He emphasized that the new National Assembly represents the country’s diversity and commended the federal lawmakers for their collaboration with the executive branch in nation-building. He also stressed that no foreign aid would be sufficient to address Nigeria’s challenges and that all Nigerians must work together for the nation’s future.

“We have no other choice; it is our nation. No foreign institution or personality will help us unless we do it ourselves. No amount of foreign aid will fix our issues; they prioritize their own interests first. Let us work together to build our nation for generations yet unborn.”

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had previously passed legislation to revert the national anthem from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” in separate sittings.

Composed at Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” was penned by British expatriate Lillian Jean Williams, with music composed by Frances Berda. The anthem played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s national identity and unity during the 1960s and late 1970s.