The Nigerian National Anthem

Sometime in the 1990s, I was rummaging through the Port Harcourt library for some literature when I came across a book of national anthems. I decided to look up the Nigerian national anthem just to satisfy a certain playful curiosity. What I saw surprised me.

I found the old Nigerian national anthem. For those Nigerians who are old enough to remember, we once had a national anthem that stood very different from the one we have today. Those many years ago, shortly before the second republic, it was deemed necessary to change it to the current anthem that begins thus: “Arise O Compatriot…”

Now, the following are the words of the old Nigerian national anthem.

Nigerian We Hail Thee

Nigeria we hail thee
Our home and native land
Though tribe and tongue may differ
In brotherhood we stand
Nigerian all and proud to serve
Our native motherland.

Our flag should be a symbol
That truth and justice reigns
Through peace and battle honoured
And this we count as gain
To hand onto our children
A banner without stain.

Oh God of all creation Grant this our one request And help se build a nation Where no man is oppressed And so in peace and plenty Nigeria may me blessed.

Conclusion

As I peered through the words of this ancient forgotten anthem, I saw in them the beginning, past, present and possible future of the Nigerian union. Tears rushed from my eyes in the middle of that library on that day; tears which I tried to hide from prying eyes by cloaking myself within the shadows of dusty book shelves.

I believe we replaced this anthem as a nation because it reminded us of how far we had strayed from the promise of a better nation embedded within its verses. In my view, these verses encapsulate a belief and a promise that the Nigerian nation should never forget.