Super Eagles To Officially Sing ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ Anthem At World Cup Qualifiers
Super Eagles’ coach, Finidi George may have to include one more item in the lessons to his players who are expected to assemble any time now for their Match Day 3 duel in the World Cup qualifiers.
The players will have to learn the lyrics and the tune of the former but now current Nigeria National Anthem, Nigeria We Hail Thee.
Even the coach may also have to learn the anthem which will certainly be sung at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on 7th June when Nigeria hosts South Africa.
National Anthem: Super Eagles To Officially Sing ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ Anthem At World Cup Qualifiers
Finidi George was just seven years old when the anthem was changed in October 1978 by the administration of the then-General Olusegun Obasanjo.
The “Nigeria We Hail Thee” was last sung during an international match, possibly in error, on 22 November 1986 at the Zamalek Stadium, Cairo when Nigeria U20 team faced Egypt.
The Egyptian military band rendered the “Nigeria We Hail Thee”, as Nigeria national anthem.
The psychologist of the team, Dr. Olatunde Makanjuola ran to the sidelines and urged the Flying Eagles to render the “Arise, O Compatriots.”
To avert the embarrassment of rendering a wrong anthem for Nigeria, the NFF in conjunction with the foreign affairs ministry will have to provide the audio tape of the “Nigeria We Hail Thee” to the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan ahead of the Match Day 4 World Cup qualifiers against Benin Republic hold on Monday, June 10.
