Published 1st Oct, 2024

By Daniel Ojukwu

Protesters in Lagos State ignored the new national anthem as they opted for the old ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ during their #FearlessInOctober demonstration on Tuesday morning.

This is directly in protest against one of the government’s decisions. The President Bola Tinubu administration readopted ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee‘, the country’s initial post-independence anthem, on May 29.

FIJ had earlier reported that the #FearlessInOctober protest kicked off in the state on Tuesday morning, with protesters asking the government to review its policies amid ongoing economic hardship.

Protesters singing the old national anthem ‘Arise O Compatriots’. Credit: Daniel Ojukwu//FIJ

One of the leading protesters, simply known as Soweto, revealed that they were determined to march all over the state.

According to Soweto, neither the police nor the army could stop them.

At 8.53 am on Tuesday, Omoyele Sowore, the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election and one of the protest organisers, was at the Ikeja protest ground.

FIJ understands that the protesters intend to go to Allen Avenue from Ikeja Underbridge. They may go to other locations afterwards.

Omoyele Sowore at the protest ground. Photo Credit: Daniel Ojukwu//FIJ

Amid the protest, FIJ noticed a prophetess interrupted the protest and halted traffic so she could ‘prophesy’ over Nigeria.

“Today, we are clocking 64. I am going around to advertise Nigeria because Nigeria is going to be great. We are going to be blessed, and no man or woman can stop Nigeria from being blessed. Nigeria will be blessed,” the prophetess said.

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