Opting for a 20-year prison sentence instead of singing what she referred to as President Bola Tinubu’s anthem, social critic Aisha Yesufu made her stance clear.
Her decision follows reports of a controversial bill, sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and awaiting its second reading, suggesting a 25-year imprisonment or a ₦10 million fine – or both – for individuals convicted of inciting separatist movements or sparking inter-group conflicts in the country.
The bill, as reported by The Sun, outlines penalties for acts such as destroying national symbols, refusing to recite the national anthem and pledge, defacing places of worship to incite violence, and subverting the Federal Government, with fines of ₦5 million, 10 years imprisonment, or both, among other consequences.
In response, Yesufu stated her willingness to endure a prison term rather than comply with the anthem requirement.
On X, she expressed, “I would choose 20 years in prison over singing Tinubu’s anthem, as approved by legislators in the National Assembly, whom I view as enslaved.”
NewsNow highlighted that the Nigerian activist and politician had openly rejected the recently adopted national anthem, ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’.
In a recently discovered video by NewsNow, Yesufu was shown seated while others stood for the new anthem during an event.
Following the incident, Yesufu shared a video clip of the moment on her official X account, captioning it with the words, “Not my anthem.”