National anthem of  Nigeria | |
| Lyrics | John A. Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, B. A. Ogunnaike, Sota Omoigui and P. O. Aderibigbe, 1978 |
|---|---|
| Music | Nigerian Police Band under the directorship of B. E. Odiasse, 1990 |
| Adopted | 1978 |
| Audio sample | |
Arise, O Compatriots | |
"Arise, O Compatriots" is the national anthem of Nigeria. It was adopted in the late 1970s and is the country's second national anthem.
The anthem was adopted in 1978 and replaced the previous national anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee". [1]
The lyrics are a combination of words and phrases taken from five of the best entries in a national contest. The words were put to music by the Nigerian Police Band under the directorship of Benedict P. Odiase (1934–2013). The Nigerian national anthem lyrics were created by five people: P. O. Aderibigbe, John A. Ilechukwu, Dr. Sota Omoigui, Eme tim Akpan and B.A. Ogunnaike.
Although the anthem has two verses, usually only the first is sung. On some occasions, the second verse is recited as "The National Prayer".
| English original [2] | Hausa translation | Igbo translation |
|---|---|---|
I | I | I |
| Yoruba translation [3] | Fulani translation | Tyap translation |
|---|---|---|
I | I | I |
The Nigerian pledge of allegiance is recited immediately after the playing of the Nigerian national anthem. It was written by Felicia Adebola Adeyoyin in 1976. [4]
| English original | Hausa translation | Yoruba translation | Tyap translation |
|---|---|---|---|
I pledge to Nigeria, my country | Na yi wa Najeriya alƙawarin ƙasata | Mo ṣeleri fun Nàìjíríà orilẹ-ede mi | N da̱p a̱nu ma̱ng Naijeriya, a̱byin nung ka. |
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Felicia Adebola Adeyoyin was a University of Lagos professor and a princess from the Iji ruling house of Saki, Oyo State. She was the author of the Nigerian national pledge.
