President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed a bill into law that reinstates Nigeria’s old national anthem, following its passage by the Senate and the House of Representatives. This significant decision marks a return to the anthem that many Nigerians regard with deep nostalgia and patriotic sentiment.
The old national anthem, titled “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” was Nigeria’s first official anthem, adopted upon independence in 1960 and used until 1978. Lilian Jean Williams wrote the lyrics in 1959 while Frances Berda composed the music for the anthem the same year. Here are the lyrics:
Nigeria, We Hail Thee
Nigeria, we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue 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.
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