Nigeria, We Hail Thee

Nigeria, We Hail Thee is the national anthem of Nigeria, formerly used from independence in 1960 until 1978. Arise, O Compatriots, was adopted as Nigeria's national anthem on 1 October 1978 and used until 2024. "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" was officially readopted on 29 May 2024, replacing "Arise, O Compatriots".

History

"Nigeria, We Hail Thee" was adopted as Nigeria's national anthem on 1 October 1960. The anthem's lyrics were written by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria when it achieved independence. Frances Benda composed the music for "Nigeria, We Hail Thee." The song was used as the national anthem until it was replaced by "Arise, O Compatriots" in 1978.

On 23 May 2024, the National Assembly passed a controversial bill to relinquish "Arise, O Compatriots" replacing it with "Nigeria, We Hail Thee". The bill was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on 29 May 2024.

Lyrics

National Pledge

The Nigerian pledge of allegiance is recited immediately after the playing of the Nigerian national anthem. It was written by Felicia Adebola Adeyoyin in 1976.

Criticism

When "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" was first adopted in 1960, 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 campaign against the national anthem, which led to a committee being established to collect signatures as a petition.

Following its readoption in 2024, the song was again criticised for the lack of consultation in passing the law designating it as the national anthem and for what was perceived to be misplaced priorities by the administration of President Bola Tinubu. Former education minister Oby Ezekwesili criticised the anthem's suitability, given the presence of "pejorative" words like "native land" and "tribes", and that she would continue to sing Arise, O Compatriots as the national anthem. A video of political activist Aisha Yesufu circulated online where she refused to recite "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" as the new national anthem.

Mohammed Tahir Monguno, chair of the parliamentary committee that pushed through the anthem's readoption, said that the change was "apt, timely and important", while Tinubu said the anthem symbolised Nigeria's diversity.

References

1. Arise, O Compatriots
2. Pa Odiase
3. 2024 in Nigeria
4. 2014 National Conference, Nigeria
5. Military dictatorship in Nigeria
6. First Nigerian Republic
7. Federation of Nigeria
8. Nigeria
9. Nigerian Wood
10. List of national anthems
11. Bola Tinubu
12. List of former national anthems
13. Religion in national symbols
14. Land of the Rising Sun (anthem)
15. Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
16. Oba Femi
17. Burna Boy
18. Nicki Minaj
19. Antiguan and Barbudan Creole
20. God Bless Our Homeland Ghana