Social critic Aisha Yesufu has stated that she would prefer to spend 20 years in prison rather than sing the new national anthem, which she has criticized as President Bola Tinubu’s personal anthem.
Yesufu’s comments follow a report that a bill, sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and currently pending a second reading, proposes a penalty of up to 25 years in prison or a N10 million fine—or both—for anyone whose actions or statements incite separatist agitation or cause inter-group conflict.
According to The Sun, the bill also stipulates that those who destroy national symbols, refuse to recite the national anthem and pledge, deface places of worship with the intent to incite violence, or undermine the Federal Government could face a fine of N5 million or 10 years in prison, or both.
In response, Yesufu took to X to express her stance: “I would choose 20 years in prison over singing Tinubu’s anthem, which was passed by individuals masquerading as lawmakers in the National Assembly.”
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