FG releases standard lyrics for reinstated National Anthem

The Federal Government, through the National Orientation Agency, NOA, on Wednesday, June 5, released the approved version of the reintroduced national anthem.

Also, NOA urged Nigerians to pay attention to the words in lines three and five of the reintroduced National Anthem.

The anthem was composed by British expatriate, Lillian Jean Williams. It was used by the country from 1960 to 1978.

However, on May 29, President Bola Tinubu signed into law the bill to revert to the old national anthem.

Following the new law, NOA had, on Tuesday, said a standardised version of the anthem would be issued after consultations.

Therefore, the Director-General of the NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, unveiled the standardised version of the anthem on Wednesday in Abuja.

At the unveiling, Issa-Onilu said, “Today’s event is to present the official version which will clear all doubts about the correct lyrics as contained in the Act signed by the President.

“We call the attention of Nigerians to line three of the first stanza, which reads: ‘Though tribes and tongues may differ’.

“Note that the words ‘tribes’ and ‘tongues’ are in plural.

“We want you to also note that line five of the first stanza reads: ‘Nigerians all, are proud to serve’.

“The word ‘are’, not ‘and’ is correct.”

Below are all three stanzas of the national anthem:

Stanza 1

Nigeria, we hail thee

Our own dear native land

Though tribes and tongues may differ 

In brotherhood, we stand

Nigerians all, are proud to serve

Our sovereign Motherland.

Stanza 2