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‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ Full Lyrics

Listen to Nigeria’s New National Anthem

Why did Nigeria change its National Anthem?

How Nigerians are Reacting to the New National Anthem

Who Wrote Nigeria’s New National Anthem?

New vs. Old: How Do the National Anthems Compare?

Frequently Asked Questions about Nigeria’s National Anthem

We’re back to the basics with the new national anthem of Nigeria. On May 29, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed a law officially replacing “Arise, O Compatriots” with “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.” This marks the end of the anthem that had been in place since 1978, as Nigeria reverts to its first-ever national anthem after independence.

So, why was the Nigerian national anthem changed? And how do both anthems compare? Here’s everything you need to know about the new national anthem, its lyrics, history, and the controversy surrounding it.

Nigeria We Hail Thee – Full Lyrics of Nigeria’s New National Anthem

Stanza I (1)

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.

Stanza II (2)

Our flag shall be a symbol

That truth and justice reign,

In peace or battle honoured,

And this we count as gain,

To hand on to our children

A banner without stain.

Stanza III (3)

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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Listen to Nigeria’s New National Anthem

Want to learn the lyrics and melody? Listen to the new national anthem here:

Why did Nigeria change its National Anthem?

On May 29, 2024, Nigerians woke up to the news that the Nigerian government had replaced the national anthem — but not with an entirely new composition. Instead, the country reverted to its first national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which was originally used from 1960 to 1978.

The lyrics of Nigeria’s first national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” were written by Lilian Jean Williams, a British woman, while the music was composed by another British national, Frances Benda.

But what prompted this decision? According to the government, the new (old) anthem “promotes national unity” and evokes stronger emotional connections with Nigerians.

However, it’s worth noting that the replaced anthem — “Arise, O Compatriots” — was composed entirely by Nigerians:
- Lyrics by: John A. Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, Babatunde A. Ogunnaike, O Sota Omoigui, and P. O. Aderibigbe.
- Music by: The Nigerian Police Band, directed by B. E. Odiasse.
How Nigerians are Reacting to the New National Anthem

The decision to change the anthem has sparked mixed reactions on social media, with many Nigerians questioning its impact on national unity.

For some, switching back to an old anthem written by British nationals does little to address Nigeria’s actual challenges. In contrast, others focused on how quickly the bill was passed — within just one week, in fact.

Here’s how it happened:
- May 23: The House of Representatives debated and passed the bill.
- May 27: The Senate approved it.
- May 28: President Tinubu signed it into law.
Since then, Nigerians have continued to voiced their opinions on platforms like X (formerly Twitter):

I will not sing the Colonial Masters' "Nigeria we hail thee" anthem. Never! If indeed they want a national prayer to resonate, then the 2nd stanza, "oh God of creation" written by a Nigerian is appropriate. Timi Dakolo's song "Great Nation" could have been considered too. pic.twitter.com/LJQKzMrotV
— Nana Sani Kazaure (@NanaKazaure) May 29, 2024

“Nigeria, we hail thee” was written & composed by 2 white people belonging to the colonizer class.. “Arise of compatriots” was composed & written by 6 Nigerians from different tribes to foster strong national identity and inclusivity. What is the reason for reverting backwards? https://t.co/C6Sq5MPpGR
— Dami (@onosowobo) May 23, 2024

Who Wrote the New National Anthem?

Since Nigeria has officially reverted to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” it’s worth learning about its creators.

Lilian Jean Williams (Lyricist)

Lilian Jean Williams was a British expatriate working in Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Labour and Welfare before independence.

In 1959, the National Planning Committee for Independence launched a competition to select a national anthem for Nigeria’s independence in 1960, which drew entries from different countries such as Belguim, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Williams entered the competition and won £100 for her lyrics, which she later donated to the Nigerian Red Cross.

Frances Benda (Composer)

After finalising the lyrics, another global competition was held to compose the anthem’s music. A total of 3,693 entries were submitted.

The winning composition came from Frances Benda, a British woman who turned out to be Mrs. Charles Kernot, a private music teacher and professional pianist from the Carol Hill School of Classical Ballet, London. She won £1,000 for her work.

New vs. Old: How Do the National Anthems Compare?

To properly understand the change, let’s look at the replaced anthem:

Old National Anthem: ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ (1978–2024)

Stanza I (1)

Arise, O compatriots,

Nigeria’s call obey

To serve our fatherland

With love and strength and faith

The labour of our heroes past,

Shall never be in vain

To serve with heart and might,

One nation bound in freedom, peace, and unity.

Stanza II (2)

O God of creation,

Direct our noble cause

Guide thou our leaders right

Help our youth the truth to know

In love and honesty to grow

And living just and true

Great lofty heights attain

To build a nation where peace and justice shall reign.

Key Differences Between ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ and ‘Arise, O Compatriots’

1. Tone & Message
- “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” focuses on nation-building, unity, and pride.
- “Arise, O Compatriots” is a call to action, urging Nigerians to actively serve their country.
2. Patriotism vs. Optimism
- “Arise, O Compatriots” emphasises patriotism and duty, reminding Nigerians to honour past heroes.
- “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” takes a softer, optimistic tone, highlighting Nigeria’s potential.
3. Motherland vs. Fatherland
- “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” refers to Nigeria as a “Motherland.”
- “Arise, O Compatriots” refers to Nigeria as a “Fatherland.”
4. Composers & Writers
- “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” was written and composed by British nationals.
- “Arise, O Compatriots” was entirely written and composed by Nigerians.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nigeria’s National Anthem

Q: How many national anthems does Nigeria have?
A: Nigeria has had two official national anthems since its independence in 1960. The first was “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” (1960–1978), and the second was “Arise, O Compatriots” (1978–2024). In 2024, the country reverted to the first anthem.

Q: What is the first national anthem of Nigeria?
A: The first national anthem of Nigeria is “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.” It was adopted at independence in 1960 and used until 1978.

Q: What is the full version of Nigeria’s national anthem?
A: The full version of the current national anthem is “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” with three stanzas.

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According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it’s recommended for a country to have a mix of 23 doctors, midwives and nurses per 10,000 people. However, the doctor-to-patient ratio in Nigeria is 1 to 30,000 patients in the South and 1 to 45,000 patients in the North.

To tackle this problem, the House of Representatives, Nigeria’s junior legislative chamber, is blaming japa—emigration—and on April 6, 2023, a dreary Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022 passed for second reading.

What is this bill?

The MDPA Bill would make it compulsory for any Nigerian-trained medical doctor or dentist to practise in Nigeria for at least five years before being granted a full licence.

The House of Reps gave two reasons for this bill:
- To make quality healthcare available to Nigerians and avoid a total collapse of our health sector.
- Medical education is heavily subsidised in Nigeria compared to schools in the United States and Europe, and this is a way for doctors to give back to the country.
However, the House of Representatives might be turning a blind eye to the deplorable state of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

For instance, on December 8, 2022, the Abia chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association embarked on a strike to demand payment of salaries owed to them by the State government. Also, Nigerian hospitals lack proper funding and infrastructure; doctors are forced to work under poor conditions and are often underpaid.

Reactions to the Bill

There have been mixed reactions to the Bill so far; some people agree with the government, while others think the House of Reps is showing a more advanced form of wickedness.

The Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria (MDCAN) have rejected the Bill and described it as modern-day slavery. And this is against Section 34(1) b of the Nigerian constitution, which says, “No person shall be held in slavery or servitude”, and Section 34(1) c, which states: “No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.”

Unfortunately, the House of Reps skipped over steps of providing standard medical infrastructure, improving working conditions and increasing the pay of medical practitioners to instead infringe on their fundamental human rights. They also failed to address the amount of money spent on medical tourism by public officials.

Members of the House of Reps should first remove the log of wood in their eyes before trying to tie down medical practitioners simply looking for greener pastures.

If you saw violence during the 2023 elections and thought, “Where did we go wrong?” We have the answer for you. Join us on Twitter Spaces on Friday, April 14th, by 6 pm as we talk to historians to give us a perspective on that slice of history. Save the date!
It’s no secret that for a while now, Nigerians have clamoured for the legalisation of Cannabis, also called marijuana or weed, and it seems like federal lawmakers are finally considering it.

What happened?

According to the current National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act, if you’re caught in possession of marijuana, you’re liable to a minimum of 12 years in prison and, in cases of trafficking, life imprisonment.

But a bill co-sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, Olumide Osoba and Miriam Onuoha seeks to amend the NDLEA Act to instead allow and regulate the growth and cultivation of Cannabis for medical and recreational purposes. This bill proposes establishing a system for the NDLEA to register, issue and revoke licences of Cannabis producers and users.

However, at the second reading of this bill on March 23, 2023, several members of the House of Representatives opposed and criticised it, which led to the House stepping down the bill for further legislative action.

An argument from many people in support of legalising weed in Nigeria is that it’s a lesser evil. For instance, it’s presumably “safer” than cigarettes and alcohol. Here are some perceived benefits of legalising Cannabis in Nigeria.

Medicinal benefits

Over the years, marijuana’s medicinal properties have been one of its major selling points. Studies have shown that it helps with cancer treatments and pain relief. In 2018, the Federal and Drug Administration Agency (FDA) approved using a medication containing Cannabis to treat epilepsy.

Another Source of Revenue

Although Cannabis is illegal in Nigeria, the NDLEA disclosed that nearly 10.6 million Nigerians used it in 2022. Legalising it would mean it can be taxed, and we can join the likes of Malawi and Zambia and make millions in revenue from the global marijuana market.

Reduced police brutality

The Nigerian police have unfortunately used the excuse of “finding” weed on young people for harassment and assault. Cannabis legalisation would hopefully reduce these occurrences, and the police could spend time tracking down offenders of serious crimes.

One of the reasons why members of the House of Representatives opposed this bill is concerns of abuse and addiction. These concerns are legitimate; with this, we’ll break down some cons of legalising Cannabis in Nigeria.

Drug abuse

Nigeria is battling a drug abuse problem, for instance, crystal meth in the South-East. Cannabis can be a gateway drug leading people to more severe drugs like cocaine and heroin.

Psychological side effects

Although marijuana is repeatedly termed “harmless”, we shouldn’t forget that it has hallucinogenic properties. And if abused, it can cause delusions and hallucinations, anxiety, panic attacks and reduced muscle control. There are records from hospitals in Benin, Edo state which showed that between 1999 to 2022, 70 per cent of 849 first-time psychiatric hospital visits were caused by Cannabis abuse.

It can end up with children

Although an age limit will be placed for cannabis use, it will likely end up in children’s hands, which can lead them to drug abuse and addiction from an early age.

It’s just as dangerous as a cigarette

Another point to dispel the belief that marijuana is harmless is that just like a regular cigarette, it’s also dangerous to your lungs and maybe even worse. A journal revealed that one joint of marijuana is equivalent to five cigarettes.

We don’t know yet if the House of Representatives will succeed in legalising Cannabis, but there is a lot to think about.
On December 7, 2022, the House of Representatives passed a bill titled, “Act to Re-amend the Child Rights Act, Cap. C50, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”, for second reading.

This bill ensures children won’t be abandoned whenever or wherever they’re born. Parents found guilty of abandoning children would either be fined a sum of ₦200k, sent to prison for six months or both.

This is definitely a good step by the government to tackle a very serious problem, but it’s difficult to ignore the fact they may have failed to take certain things into consideration before this bill.

We still have archaic abortion laws

On October 8, 2019, a one-day-old baby was found in a refuse dump covered with maggots in Lokoja, Kogi State. Fortunately, the baby survived because residents took her to a specialist hospital for treatment. When the government found the mother of the baby, she refused to take her back. The baby ended up in an orphanage.

In 2017, the Lagos State government rescued about 237 abandoned babies, and one of the reasons these things will continue to happen is the country has refused to reform its abortion laws. Nigerian women don’t have a legal second option when they end up with unwanted pregnancies.

Our anti-abortion laws put women found guilty of violating it at risk of seven years in jail. So, these women are left with the possibility of either abandoning the child or illegally terminating the pregnancies at the risk of their lives.

We need better welfare programmes

During the passing of the bill for a second reading, lawmakers discussed the need for Nigeria to develop something similar to America’s social security system. Nigeria currently has over 17 million orphans and vulnerable children, some of them abandoned as children. They still struggle daily to access food, shelter, education, protection, and care. What’s the government currently doing to address the problem with functional social welfare services?

We need a working economy

Poverty is another reason parents choose to abandon their children. On April 21, 2020, a six-month-old baby was found by the roadside with a note from the mother saying she had no means to care for her. For those who decide not to abandon the child, they try to sell them off at a baby factory.

With the level of inflation in the country now and the price of things increasing almost every week, life must be especially difficult for those who struggle to make ends meet, how much more so for a new mother.

So while lawmakers make laws, they must realise the trend of parents abandoning children has more to do with a failing system than wickedness. They should first try to take out the log in their eyes before throwing these people into prison.