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The Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has dismissed claims surrounding a viral video showing President Bola Tinubu singing Nigeria’s former national anthem during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, saying the footage predates the reintroduction of the current anthem.
The video, which circulated widely on social media, prompted claims that Tinubu was filmed singing the old anthem after signing the bill into law that reinstates “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the country’s official national anthem.
However, in a post on X on Tuesday, Olusegun said details visible in the footage showed it was recorded before the anthem was changed.
“This video has Dr Iziaq Salako as the Hon Minister of State for Environment at 0:22 minutes. He was later reassigned to the Ministry of Health in October 2024,” he wrote.
Olusegun also pointed out that the footage listed the Ministry of Niger Delta, which was scrapped during the October 2024 cabinet reshuffle.
“It also listed the HM, Ministry of Niger Delta, a ministry that was dissolved in October 2024,” he said.
According to him, the timeline of the appointments makes it clear that the video could not have been recorded after the national anthem was changed.
“The new national anthem became official on May 29th, 2024. Verdict: This video was from a 2023/2024 FEC meeting,” he added.
Olusegun criticised those circulating the video as recent, accusing some media practitioners of failing to verify information before publication.
“We are unlucky to have these lots as the source of journalism in Nigeria when they keep working hard every day to make a mess of the noble profession,” he wrote.
President Tinubu signed the National Anthem Bill into law in May 2024, replacing “Arise, O Compatriots”, which had been in use since 1978, with “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”, the anthem adopted at independence in 1960.
This video has Dr Iziaq Salako as the Hon Minister for State on Environment at the 0:22 minutes. He was later reassigned to the Ministry of Health in October 2024.
It also listed the HM, Ministry of Niger Delta, a ministry that was dissolved in October 2024.
The new national… https://t.co/WrNo45slS1 pic.twitter.com/WHqW5XKwlR
— Daddy D.O🇳🇬 (@DOlusegun) July 7, 2026
