President Bola Tinubu has officially reinstated Nigeria’s old national anthem, “Nigeria, we hail thee,” by signing the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law.
The announcement was made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday during a joint session of the National Assembly, which coincided with the Silver Jubilee of Nigeria’s 4th Republic and the first anniversary of Tinubu’s administration.
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Akpabio stated, “This morning, Mr. President signed into an Act of Parliament, the newly passed National Anthem 2024.” Tinubu later confirmed the change, declaring “Nigeria, we hail thee” as the new official anthem.
The session’s primary focus was to launch the new national anthem, and Akpabio noted that President Tinubu would not deliver a speech as he had to attend the launch of the Abuja metro line.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had previously passed the bill to replace the current anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots,” with the older “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”
The change marks a significant return to the anthem that was originally adopted at Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, before it was replaced in 1978.
“Nigeria, we hail thee” was written by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate in Nigeria at the time of its independence, with music composed by Frances Berda. The anthem played a crucial role in fostering national identity and unity during the 1960s and late 1970s.
The lyrics of the reinstated anthem are as follows:
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.
The reintroduction of the old anthem is seen as a move to reconnect with Nigeria’s historical roots and reinforce a sense of national pride and unity.
