Fellow Nigerians, here are the lyrics of the reinstated national anthem

The old anthem, ‘Nigeria we hail thee’, composed by a British expatriate, Lillian Jean Williams, became Nigeria’s national anthem on October 1, 1960.

However, in 1978 the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo abandoned the anthem and adopted a new two-stanza anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots.”

Interestingly, the old anthem, which was abandoned because it was composed by non-Nigerians, has now been re-adopted 46 years later.

With the signing of the bill into law on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, the national anthem has henceforth changed from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “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, 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.