Monday, October 20, 2008

Nigeria: The Happy Anthem

Hail Nigeria Glorious Land
Ever Blessed By God's Command
Land of Heroes and Our Pride
May True Justice Be Thy Guide
And Thy Sons and Daughters Be
Ever Happy, Ever Free

Great Nigeria We Love Thee
Land of Wealth and Liberty
We Shall Fight to Save Thy Name
From Oppression and From Shame
May Thy Friends Find All They Seek
And Thy Sons Be Wise and Meek

May The Niger Ever Flow
And The Green Fields Ever Grow
In Our Father Land and Home
Where The Waves From Beaches Foam
As Nigeria's Ensign Flies
And Our Happy Anthem Rise

copyright 1960

16 comments:

badderchic said...

Im soooo first!

where did you find this nims? I had absolutely no idea there was another anthem...thanks nims.

Naapali said...

Perhaps our anthem changes, constitution changes all signal our struggle with identity.

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

This is such a better anthem, given where we stand as a people and nation today, don't you think. Thanks for sharing this. I particularly reacted to this part -

"We Shall Fight to Save Thy Name
From Oppression and From Shame"

Your comment at Nigerian Curiosity on Colin Powell was quite insightful. We are way too quick to abandon/sacrifice our own, I think. Which reminds me, I must go get an update on the Brutish situation. Off I go...

Jennifer A. said...

I love the Happy Anthem...

May the Niger river keep flowing into its delta...and then into the gulf of Guinea. A strong Country...

N.I.M.M.O said...

@ALL: This anthem was written/composed in 1960 by T.M Aluko, Dennis Osadebey and Tai Solarin and was submitted as their entry to the competition to select a national anthem for the new nation to replace 'God Save The Queen'.

It was not chosen. Tai Solarin however rejected the chosen anthem 'Nigeria We Hail Thee...' because it was written by a non-Nigerian (a British woman) and thus could not be said to be indigenous.

Every student who passed through Mayflower School knows this anthem by heart. For about twenty years, in defiance, it was the 'official' national anthem in Mayflower until the 'Arise O Compatriots...' composed by Nigerians was made official.

Even since then, it is still considered the 'Alternative National Anthem' in Mayflower, coming second to the 'Arise O Compatriots' in the school song book followed by the school anthem 'Knowledge Is Light' and then by the then ANC anthem - now one of South Africa's national anthems - 'O God Bless Our Native Africa' (Nkosi Sikhele iAfrica).

You can imagine having to sing four anthems on assembly ground every morning!

Many thanx for your comments!

badderchic said...

Nims, this is educational, i would never have known.

Tai Solarin said "may your road be rough" I love that line.

Allied said...

I like this national anthem but this is the first time I heard about it. I love and love SA national anthem (Nkosi Sikhele Africa). I am not sure if it’s just the melody or the words, i just love it.

Between My reaction to your comment on my blog:

U succeeded in making a dark looking Fulani girl like me blush and it showed. Lol...

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

Thank you for the explanation. And know, I cannot imagine singing 4 songs in the morning. But, the reasoning behind it is a good one. Imagine, now as a grown man, you are able to educate so many of us. I have recommended your blog to a couple folks.

Take care.

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

Ah, my dear N.I.M.M.O., situations on the ground have forced me to call you out this Wednesday the 21st of October.

My post will be published forthwith at Nigerian Curiosity....

bumight said...

at first when I read this, I thought it was the "Nigeria we hail thee..." anthem, but it was not. which begs the question; 'how old are you,really!", lol.

N.I.M.M.O said...

@Chairlady: I wonder why Nigeria does not have more than one anthem like the USA or even South Africa does. Probably for the sake of 'unity'. Many thanx for your comments.
@Naapali: Hmmm .. So maybe rather than just change, we should just keep adding as our situation demands. Methusela again! Manny thanx.
@Jaycee: I think thats the beauty of this anthem. Its so simple and allows you to be creative with it. Many thanks for your comments.
@Solomonsydelle: Plenty talk on your blog.
@Allied: Me love it too. (after singing it for so many years.). Have you heard their other Anthem 'Die Stemm' (The Call)? Many thanx for your comments.
@Bumight: I usually say that I am as old as the hills but in reality. I was not even born to witness the civil war. The first Nigerian Head of State I knew was Murtala Mohammed. That should give you an idea. LOL. I KNOW you're better now.

Edi said...

Beautiful words. Wonder what the tune is.

Edi said...

Beautiful words. Wonder what the tune is.

Unknown said...

Hi.. I went to mayflower school and your story is so right, I was wondering if you could write the lyrics " O GOD BLESS OUR NATIVE AFRICA" I love that anthem. I wish I kept my merry mayflower

N.I.M.M.O said...

Nkhosi Sikhele iAfrica

O God Bless Out Native Africa (2x)
Lord May She Arise and Prosper Now
O God, We Beseech Thee Hear (2x)
Spirit of God (3x)
Come To Us Now and Bless Us.

Unknown said...

IT IZ MY ALMA'S ANTHEM

Recent Comments