Nigeria

National Flag

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic and is located in West Africa and shares borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. The capital city is Abuja. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom.

Emblem

Map

national anthem

Arise, O Compatriots" (1978-present)
Arise, O compatriots,
Nigeria's call obey
To serve our Fatherland
With love and strength and faith.
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain,
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom, peace
and unity.
O God of creation,
Direct our noble cause;
Guide our Leaders right:
Help our Youth the truth to know,
In love and honesty to grow,
And living just and true,
Great lofty heights attain,
To build a nation where peace and
justice reign.

"Nigeria We Hail Thee" (1960-1978)
Nigeria we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue 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 honour'd,
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 may be blessed.

TRANSLATION

"Land of the Rising Sun" (Biafra's anthem 1967-1970)
Land of the rising sun, we love and cherish,
Beloved homeland of our brave heroes;
We must defend our lives or we shall
perish,
We shall protect our hearts from all our
foes;
But if the price is death for all we hold
dear,
Then let us die without a shred of fear.
Hail to Biafra, consecrated nation,
Oh fatherland, this be our solemn pledge:
Defending thee shall be a dedication,
Spilling our blood we'll count a privilege;
The waving standard which emboldens
the free
Shall always be our flag of liberty.
We shall emerge triumphant from this
ordeal,

And through the crucible unscathed we'll pass;
When we are poised the wounds of battle to heal,
We shall remember those who died in mass;
Then shall our trumpets peal the glorious song
Of victory we scored o'er might and wrong.
Oh God, protect us from the hidden pitfall,
Guide all our movements lest we go astray;
Give us the strength to heed the humanist call:
'To give and not to count the cost"
each day;
Bless those who rule to serve with
resoluteness,
To make this clime a land of
righteousness