May 29, 2024 mark anoda turn for Nigeria history as President Bola Tinubu sign into law for di kontri to return to dia former national anthem wey dem bin throw away for 1978.
Di old-new anthem, ‘Nigeria we hail thee’, na di one wey Nigeria take gain independence for 1960. Na im pipo bin dey sing wen soldiers dey lower di Union Jack flag and raising di green and white flag of Nigeria, a signal say Nigeria don dey free from British rule.
Goment bin throw a competition asking pipo to send in their entries for di new anthem, and from di thousands of entries, dem pick di winner.
Who write Nigeria We Hail Thee?
Na one Lillian Jean William win di £1,000 grand prize for dat competition.
Lillian Jean William na ballet musician wey bin dey live for Nigeria at di time, according to a September 1960 article published by ogbonge South African literary sabi pesin, Ezekiel Mphahlele, wey bin dey Nigeria on exile at di time of independence.
Also, anoda white woman, Frances Berda na im compose di music of di anthem.
According to Mphahlele, dis bin throw up big controversy dat time bicos pipo bin complain how e be say na two white pipo go give Nigeria a national anthem, wen di kontri tok say dem don dey independent.
“Some musicians dat time even go out to claim say di music of di anthem na plagiarism of one English church hymn,” Mphahlele bin write.
Las las, goment adopt di anthem and Radio Nigeria start to dey play di anthem evri morning to help di pipo to get used to am.
‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ remain di national anthem for Nigeria until 1978 wen di military Head of State dat time, Olusegun Obasanjo, change am and introduce ‘Arise O Compatriots’.
Di anthem almost change in 2014
Dis no be di first time Nigerians dey propose to go back to di old National Anthem.
For 2014, during di National Conference wey den President Goodluck Jonathan bin organise, di conference wit one mouth bin agree to throw away di ‘Arise O Compatriot’ anthem and go back to ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’.
Dat time, di conference tok say di independence anthem be “more credible symbol of unity, peace and prosperity”.
However, di report of dat conference no dey implemented sake of say President Jonathan bin lose re-election for 2015.
Buhari, wey bin don criticise di conference take power, e put di report one side.
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