Pa benedict odiase biography of christopher

We Hail Thee” piece, adopted as the national anthem from October 1, 1960, until 1978. The lyrics were put together by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate that lived in Nigeria at the time, while Frances Berda composed it into a beautiful piece of song.

Pa Odiase’s work became the second indigenous post-independence anthem in 1978 and remains the swan-song till date. The anthem is originally the fusion of the lyrics of five winning contestants, John Ikechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, Babatunde Ogunnaike, Sotu Omoigui and P. O. Aderogbu in a national competition held for the purpose. As the Director of Music in the Nigeria Police Band at the time, Benedict Odiase creatively put the pieces together and was selected as the best composer.

Pa Odiase should have been a public figure since 1978 when he achieved that feat; but like the first man in the moon, Neil Armstrong of the United States, he chose a humble, quiet life. Indeed he admitted his fears for publicity i