Meet British expatriate, Lillian Jean Williams, writer of old national anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”

The original anthem, “Nigeria, we Hail Thee,” reintroduced by President Bola Tinubu on 29th May 2024 was written by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate in 1959, while Frances Berda composed the music around the same period.

Lillian Jean Williams is a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria when it achieved independence from Britain in 1960.

The federal government launched a contest to compose an anthem, offering a prize of £1,000, which Ms Berda, a ballet musician, won.

The late famous South African literary icon Ezekiel Mphahlele detailed the intrigues behind the adoption of ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ as an anthem in an article titled ‘Nigeria on the Eve of Independence in Africa Today’ published in September 1960.

Williams won a prize for writing the Anthem’s lyrics, while the composer, Frances Berda (a ballet musician) won a government contest to compose an anthem with an offering prize of £1,000.

“Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the national anthem, marks a return to the country’s original anthem adopted at Independence in 1960.

However, the adoption of the anthem was met with criticism from Nigerians who felt that the winning entries should have been chosen from among Nigerian submissions.

The Anthem was later dropped in 1978 by the then-military administration of Olusegun Obasanjo.

It was used from 1960 until 1978 when it was replaced by “Arise, O Compatriots”, written by a team of Nigerian authors and composers.

The reintroduced anthem has been in use for 48 years, making it Nigeria’s longest-serving anthem.

Some argued that the return to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” may require a new generation of Nigerians to become familiar with the Anthem’s history and importance.

Lyrics of Nigeria We Hail Thee

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.

Our flag shall be a symbol

That truth and justice reign

In peace or battle honoured,

And this we count as gain,

To hand on to our children

A banner without stain.

O God of all creation

Grant this our one request.

Help us to build a nation

Where no man is oppressed

And so, with peace and plenty

Nigeria shall be blessed.

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