Ahead of the Benin Republic vs. Nigeria 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification game, the Super Eagles of Nigeria did not recite the recently reintroduced national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which was reinstated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. On May 29, 2024, President Tinubu signed a bill replacing “Arise, O Compatriots” with “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” the anthem used from 1960 to 1978.
Despite the anthem’s reintroduction and the criticism it has faced, the Super Eagles had recited it before their game against South Africa. However, in the match against Benin Republic at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, the old anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” was played via the stadium’s public address system instead of the new one.
It remains unclear whether the playing of the old anthem was a mistake or a deliberate act. The Super Eagles are under pressure following their 1-1 draw against South Africa in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification game at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.