Nigeria National Anthem: Who compose 'Nigeria We Hail Thee'?

May 29, 2024 mark anoda turn for Nigeria history as President Bola Tinubu sign into law for di kontri to return to dia former national anthem wey dem bin throw away for 1978.

Di old-new anthem, 'Nigeria we hail thee', na di one wey Nigeria take gain independence for 1960. Na im pipo bin dey sing wen soldiers dey lower di Union Jack flag and raising di green and white flag of Nigeria, a signal say Nigeria don dey free from British rule.

Goment bin throw a competition asking pipo to send in their entries for di new anthem, and from di thousands of entries, dem pick di winner.

Who write Nigeria We Hail Thee?

Na one Lillian Jean William win di £1,000 grand prize for dat competition.

Lillian Jean William na ballet musician wey bin dey live for Nigeria at di time, according to a September 1960 article published by ogbonge South African literary sabi pesin, Ezekiel Mphahlele, wey bin dey Nigeria on exile at di time of independence.

Also, anoda white woman, Frances Berda na im compose di music of di anthem.

According to Mphahlele, dis bin throw up big controversy dat time bicos pipo bin complain how e be say na two white pipo go give Nigeria a national anthem, wen di kontri tok say dem don dey independent.

"Some musicians dat time even go out to claim say di music of di anthem na plagiarism of one English church hymn," Mphahlele bin write.

Las las, goment adopt di anthem and Radio Nigeria start to dey play di anthem evri morning to help di pipo to get used to am.

'Nigeria We Hail Thee' remain di national anthem for Nigeria until 1978 wen di military Head of State dat time, Olusegun Obasanjo, change am and introduce 'Arise O Compatriots'.

Di anthem almost change in 2014

Dis no be di first time Nigerians dey propose to go back to di old National Anthem.

For 2014, during di National Conference wey den President Goodluck Jonathan bin organise, di conference wit one mouth bin agree to throw away di 'Arise O Compatriot' anthem and go back to 'Nigeria We Hail Thee'.

Dat time, di conference tok say di independence anthem be "more credible symbol of unity, peace and prosperity”.

However, di report of dat conference no dey implemented sake of say President Jonathan bin lose re-election for 2015.

Buhari, wey bin don criticise di conference take power, e put di report one side.

Lyrics of di old - now new anthem

Nigeria, we hail thee,

Our own dear native land,

Though tribe and tongue may differ,

In brotherhood, we stand,

Nigerians all, and 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.

Some oda kontries wey don change dia national anthem

For 1969, under Muammar Gaddafi, Libya bin change dia anthem from 'Libya Libya Libya' to 'Allahu Akbar', wey di writer na Egyptian poet Mahmoud El-Sherif and di composer na Abdalla Shams El-Din, also an Egyptian.

However, di goment wey take ova power afta Gaddafi die for 2011, bring back 'Libya Libya Libya' as di national anthem.

Rwanda na anoda kontri wey change dia national anthem to reflect di new spirit of di kontri afta di 1994 genocide.

Di new anthem, 'Rwanda Nziza', meaning 'Beautiful Rwanda', come into effect on

January 1, 2002, to replace di former one - 'Rwanda Rwacu' (Our Rwanda) - wey don dey exist since 1962.