Nigeria national anthem lyrics: Lillian Jean William wey write 'Nigeria We Hail Thee' - who she be? - BBC News Pidgin (2024)

Nigeria national anthem lyrics: Lillian Jean William wey write 'Nigeria We Hail Thee' - who she be? - BBC News Pidgin (1)

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

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.

  • ‘Nigeria we hail thee’ na our heritage - Tinubu on why Nigeria reverse to old national anthem

  • From ‘Arise o compatriots’ to ‘Nigeria we hail thee’ - koko of why Senate reverse to old national anthem

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.

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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'.

Nigeria national anthem lyrics: Lillian Jean William wey write 'Nigeria We Hail Thee' - who she be? - BBC News Pidgin (2)

Wia dis foto come from, AFP

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.

Nigeria national anthem lyrics: Lillian Jean William wey write 'Nigeria We Hail Thee' - who she be? - BBC News Pidgin (2024)

FAQs

Who composed the Nigerian national anthem "Nigeria we hail thee"? ›

Titled Nigeria We Hail Thee, it was written by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who was living in Nigeria at the time.

What is Nigeria's national anthem now? ›

The old — and now current — national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” was written in 1960 by British expatriate Lillian Jean Williams and adopted as Nigeria's anthem when the country won independence that year.

What is the Nigerian pledge? ›

I pledge to Nigeria my country. To be faithful, loyal and honest. To serve Nigeria with all my strength. To defend her unity, and uphold her honour and glory.

Who is the founder of the Nigerian national anthem? ›

The “new” anthem returns to a version used from independence in October 1960 until 1978, a year before the first era of military rule ended. The lyrics and music of the former anthem, titled “Nigeria We Hail Thee,” were composed by two British women, Lilian Jean Williams and Frances Berda.

Who wrote the national anthem for? ›

Rabindra Nath Tagore composed the National Anthem of India, “Jana Gana Mana”. It was originally written in Bengali Sanskrit and was adopted from a Brahmo Hymn written by him. It was first sung at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress and adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 24th January 1950.

Who composed verses of national anthem? ›

The Verses of the Anthem have been composed by a renowned poet of Pakistan, Abul Asar Hafeez Jullundhri; while the tune has been composed by Ahmed G. Chagla, the well known musician and composer.

Which country changed the national anthem? ›

Nigeria's president has suddenly changed the national anthem, angering residents who questioned his priorities as the country grapples with its worst economic crisis in a generation.

Who has the first national anthem? ›

The first anthem to be officially adopted as such was the Spanish anthem "La Marcha Real", in 1770; its origins remain unclear; it is suggested that it has 16th century Venetian origins, or even that it was composed by king Frederick the Great himself; it is also one of the few national anthems that has never had ...

Does every country have a national anthem today? ›

In a historical sense, national anthems are a relatively recent phenomenon, with the first ones composed in the late 18th century in Europe. Today, the total number is massive, with all 193 UN countries having a national anthem. Former and non-UN countries' anthems add to the list.

What is Nigeria national motto? ›

Nigerias National Motto is Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress. Nigeria is located on the west coast of Africa and is the most populous black country in the world, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Benin and Cameroon. Nigeria covers 356,668 sq miles (923,7770 sq kilometers).

What is the oath in Nigeria? ›

swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So help me God.

Is Nigeria's national anthem changed? ›

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed into law the bill to revert to Nigeria's old national anthem which was dropped by a military government in 1978. The newly re-adopted anthem, which begins "Nigeria, We Hail Thee," was written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 and composed by Frances Berda.

Who is the father of anthem? ›

The song Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bangla by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on January 24, 1950.

Who named the national anthem? ›

Soon after, Thomas Carr of the Carr Music Store in Baltimore published the words and music together under the title "The Star Spangled Banner", although it was originally called "Defence of Fort M'Henry".

Who composed Biafra national anthem? ›

"Land of the Rising Sun" was the proclaimed national anthem of the secessionist African state of Biafra, in formerly known as Eastern Region, Nigeria. The lyrics were written by Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the tune was adopted from Jean Sibelius' "Finlandia", as Biafran president C.

Who composed Jamaica's national anthem? ›

Robert Lightbourne

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