"High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free" is the national anthem of Sierra Leone. Written by Clifford Nelson Fyle and composed by John Akar in a nationwide competition, it was adopted in 1961 when the country became independent from the United Kingdom, replacing "God Save The Queen". The Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991, makes it the responsibility of every citizen of Sierra Leone to "respect its ideals and its institutions", including the national anthem.
Arise, O Compatriots is a Nigerian patriotic song that was used as the national anthem of Nigeria from 1 October 1978 until 2024, when Nigeria, We Hail Thee was reinstated. On 29 May 2024, "Arise, O Compatriots" was officially relinquished followed by the readoption of the first national anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" used from 1960 until 1978.
"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" was the imperial anthem of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, and previously the royal anthem of Prussia from 1795 to 1918.
Robert Stanley Weir was a Canadian judge and poet most famous for writing the English lyrics to "O Canada", the national anthem of Canada. He was educated as a teacher and lawyer and considered one of the leading experts of the day on Quebec's municipal civil law. He was appointed a municipal court judge and a judge for the Exchequer Court of Canada.
Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu is a Nigerian politician who has served as the 16th president of Nigeria since 2023. He was previously the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, and senator for Lagos West in the Third Republic.
Peter Gregory Obi is a Nigerian politician and businessman who was the Governor of Anambra State under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 17 March 2006 to 3 November 2006, when he was impeached. He was reinstated on 9 February 2007 and continued his tenure until 2010. He was reelected for his second term until 7 March 2014. A member of the Labour Party since 2022, he was the presidential candidate in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.
The Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1992 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution. In the Third Republic, there were democratically elected state governors and state assemblies and a democratically elected federal legislature. The republic was however not fully democratic as there was no democratically elected civilian president. The then military president Ibrahim Babangida's supposed transition eventually turned out to be a ploy to keep executive powers and grant the National Assembly limited legislative powers. Hence all laws passed by the Senate and House of Representatives will have to pass the National Defence and Security Council of Nigeria and finally approved by the President. So while Babangida changed the usual style adopted by preceding military leaders from Head of State to president, he will continue to postpone presidential elections and eventually annul the ultimate one held on 12 June 1993. The Third Republic can thus be described as half military and half civilian.
Wilberforce William Chukudinka Echezona was a Nigerian musicologist and a pioneer teacher of music in Nigerian universities. He was the first Igbo man to be educated at London's Trinity College of Music, and the first African to obtain a degree in music education in the United States, where he received a PhD from Michigan State University in 1963.
Anti-Igbo sentiment encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards the Igbo people. The Igbo people make up a majority of the population in South East, Nigeria and part of the populations of the South South and the Middle Belt zones. Igbophobia can be observed in critical and hostile behaviour such as political and religious discrimination as well as violence towards Igbo people.
The alma mater of the University of Pittsburgh was adopted soon after the University changed its name in 1908 from the Western University of Pennsylvania to its current moniker. Lyrics were written by George M. P. Baird, class of 1909 and were set to the tune of what was then the Austrian National Anthem. A new tune for the "Alma Mater" hymn was composed by Charles W. Scovel, class of 1883, but it was not widely adopted and was either lost or became obscure.
Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; 77 kilometres (48 mi) north of Lagos by railway, or 130 kilometres (81 mi) by water. As of 2006, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 449,088.
Oluremi "Remi" Tinubu is a Nigerian politician and current first lady of Nigeria since 2023, as wife of President Bola Tinubu. She was the first lady of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 when her husband was governor. She was the senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District at the Nigerian National Assembly from 2011 to 2023. She is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) political party.
Pa Benedict Odiase was a Nigerian composer who composed "Arise, O Compatriots," the former national anthem of Nigeria. "Arise, O Compatriots," which was adopted in 1978, replaced the country's previous national anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee".
Thomas King Ekundayo Phillips was a Nigerian organist, conductor, composer and teacher who has been described as the "father of Nigerian church music"
Sandra Sopuluchukwu Ezekwesili is a Nigerian broadcast journalist, radio host, brand communications executive, and media personality. She is best known for her role as the former anchor of the "Hard Facts" show on Nigeria Info FM Lagos. In August 2023, she resigned after advancing to the position of Group Brand Manager for Nigeria Info FM stations nationwide within the AIM Group, which owns Cool FM Nigeria, Wazobia FM, and Nigeria Info. Her advocacy for women's rights and issues earned her the Her Network Woman of the Year in Journalism award in 2021.
Aisha Somtochukwu Yesufu, is a Nigerian political activist and businesswoman. She is the co-founder of #BringBackOurGirls movement, which brought attention to the abduction of over 200 girls from a secondary school in Chibok, Nigeria on the 14th of April, 2014, by the terrorist group Boko Haram. She has also been prominently involved in the End SARS movement against police brutality in Nigeria.
Yinka Odumakin, was a Nigerian human rights activist and politician. Until his death, he was the national publicity secretary of Afenifere, a Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group.
The national symbols of Nigeria represent the country's identity, heritage, and values, reflecting its cultural diversity and historical journey. These symbols include the national flag, coat of arms, anthem, and pledge, as well as the national flower, animal, currency, and other national emblems. The Nigerian flag, designed in 1959 by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, features three vertical stripes of green and white, symbolising agriculture and peace, respectively. The coat of arms, adopted in 1960, includes a black shield with a wavy white pall, symbolising the meeting of the Niger and Benue Rivers, supported by two white horses representing dignity. Above the shield is an eagle, symbolising strength, and beneath it is Nigeria's national motto: "Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress". The national anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee", first adopted in 1960, relinquished in 1978, and then re-adopted in 2024, calls upon Nigerians to stand in brotherhood and serve their motherland. The national pledge, introduced in 1976, serves as an oath of allegiance and commitment to Nigeria's unity and development. The national flower, Costus spectabilis, symbolises beauty and prosperity, while the national animal, the eagle, reflects the country's strength and vision. The Naira, Nigeria's national currency, was introduced in 1973. Through these symbols, Nigeria's government and its people express their collective pride, uphold their cultural values, and reinforce their commitment to national development and cohesion.
Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye is a Nigerian lawyer, entrepreneur, politician, and film producer. She contested for the first female candidate for the presidency in Nigeria under the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general elections but later stepped down for Bola Tinubu. She was appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development on 21 August 2023 a position she held until 23 October 2024.
Nigeria 