"Nigeria, We Hail Thee" is the former

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and Europea ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, used from independence in 1960 until 1978. Nigeria's present anthem, " Arise, O Compatriots," was adopted in 1978, replacing "Nigeria, We Hail Thee."

History

"Nigeria, We Hail Thee" was adopted as Nigeria's first national anthem on October 1, 1960. The anthem's

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a " libretto" and their writer, ...

were written by Lillian Jean Williams, a

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expatriate An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...

who lived in Nigeria when it achieved independence. Frances Berda composed the music for "Nigeria, We Hail Thee." The second national anthem, " Arise, O Compatriots," replaced "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" in 1978.

Lyrics

Nigeria we hail thee Our own dear native land Though

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and

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may differ In brotherhood we stand Nigerians all, are proud to serve Our sovereign Motherland. Our flag shall be a symbol That truth and justice reign In peace or battle honour'd, And this we count as gain, To hand on to our children A banner without stain. O God of all creation Grant this our one request. Help us to build a nation Where no man is oppressed And so with peace and plenty Nigeria may be blessed.

Criticism

When "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" was first announced, the new national anthem faced criticism for a number of reasons. The ''Daily Service'', a newspaper run by the Yoruba organisation Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà, started a rebellious campaign against the national anthem, which led to a committee being established to collect signatures as a

petition A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offi ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nigeria, We Hail Thee Historical national anthems Nigerian songs Songs about Nigeria National symbols of Nigeria African anthems