10th June, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
The Edo House of Assembly on Monday passed a Bill to declare the “Beautiful Edo, Glorious Edo” as the official Anthem of the State.
The Anthem was initiated by wife of the State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, but was sent to the Assembly by the Governor on 2 May, 2024, and had already been launched by the Edo State Government on May 27, 2024, during Children’s Day Celebration at the Samuel Ogbemudia in Benin City.
The Governor while signing the Bill into law, noted that the declaration of the “Beautiful Edo, Glorious Edo” as the official Anthem of Edo State, Nigeria, would promote unity, pride and a sense of identity among the people of the State.
Speaking on the bill, the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, noted that Edo would be the first State to have an official Anthem.
He said: “If you listen to the lyrics and rhythm of the three stanzas of the anthem, they are all perfectly arranged and composed.
“Just like our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu said that we should all go back to the old national Anthem, “Nigeria We Hail Thee”, it also good that as a state, we also have our official anthem.”
In his contribution to the passage of the Bill, the Majority Leader of the House, Charity Iguodala Aiguobarughian, said when passed into law it would go along way in promoting unity, and cultural heritage of the state.
Other lawmakers who spoke in favour of the bill are Eric Okaka, APC, Minority Leader of the House, representing Owan East, Natasha Osawaru, PDP, deputy majority leader, representing Egor, Maria Edeko, PDP, deputy speaker, representing Esan North-East II, Kingsley Ugabi, APC, Etsako East among others.
They noted that late Anthony Enahoro, from Midwest at the Western House of parliament was the first to move a motion for Nigeria’s independence, and that Edo is always known for initiating new policies and programmes in the country.