Nigeria, we hail thee, (National Anthem 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 symbolThat truth and justice reign,In peace or battle honour’d,And this we count as gain,To hand on to our childrenA banner without stain.
O God of all creation,Grant this our one request,Help us to build a nationWhere no man is oppressed,And so with peace and plentyNigeria may be blessed.”
I remember singing the first verse of this song every morning in elementary school in honor of a great nation, my country; Nigeria.
A country called the ’Giant of Africa’. How I loved those words! I remember clearly how singing our National Anthem daily made me feel a sense of duty and obligation to the nation. A sense of togetherness in a nation where we were all to stand in unity, love, and truth.
I remember holding hands with my friends who were Edos, Yorubas, Hausas, Urhobos, Esans, Itshekiris, Ibos, Afemias…to name a few. What beautiful memories these words hold.
I remember running to the kiosk at break time to get a snack of either meat pie or egg roll with a cold bottle of
Fanta or Coke to wash it down. Those were the good old days.
Nigeria, I hail you today.
You are my dear native land
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
Let us help one another to stand in brotherhood
Help us this day O God to let truth and justice reign
Help us to build a nation where no man is oppressed
We are grateful for the plenty that you have blessed us with
Grant us peace today and bless our land forevermore. Amen!!
The experience I had in elementary school that brought me great joy is rarely experienced by many children in elementary schools in Nigeria today. The economy of this great nation has faced challenging times, which affects many and children are most vulnerable. who deserve a healthy life and benefit greatly from free food.
The most vulnerable are always the ones most impacted by any difficult situation. So, we are reaching out to all who recall this National Anthem, and those who are hearing it for the first time, to join hands with us and help feed elementary school-aged children in Africa, one school at a time.
Today, I join hands with friends and family all over the world, especially in America – the great country that has been my home for a long time – and humbly ask for your support in making a difference in the life of one child by supporting Lunch for Kids Africa Inc.
God Bless you!
Iguodala Girolamo
President
Lunch For Africa Kids,Inc.