Pa Benedict Odiase (August 25, 1934 – June 11, 2013) was a Nigerian

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

who composed "

Arise, O Compatriots "Arise, O Compatriots" is the national anthem of Nigeria. It was adopted in the late 1970s and is the country's second national anthem. History The anthem was adopted in 1978 and replaced the previous national anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee "N ...

," the national anthem of Nigeria. "Arise, O Compatriots," which was adopted in 1978, replaced the country's previous national anthem, " Nigeria, We Hail Thee". Odiase was born in 1934, and raised in British Nigeria, where

Edo State Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria, However there was controversy ...

is now. He served in the Nigerian Police Force from 1954 to 1992 and was also the Music Director of the Nigerian Police Band and the MId-West State Police Band. He was awarded the Order of the Niger in December 2001. Odiase died from a short illness on June 11, 2013, at the age of 78.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odiase, Pa 1934 births 2013 deaths Nigerian composers National anthem writers