How Frances Benda, not Frances Berda, composed ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’

For decades, Frances Berda has been touted as the composer of the readopted anthem, ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee,’ and Lillian Jean Williams as the writer of the lyrics.

However, newspaper archives shared by Tolu Ogunlesi, an aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, on his X page on Thursday, have given more insight into how the readopted anthem came to be and uncovered the identity of the woman behind the now controversial anthem.

On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu signed into law the adoption of Nigeria, We Hail Thee, as a new anthem.

According to a January 1959 report published in the Federal Nigeria newspaper, The National Planning Committee for Independence launched a competition to select a National Anthem commemorating independence on 1 October 1960.

A prize of $280.00 was announced for anyone who wrote a National Anthem that expressed the spirit of a free and independent Nigeria among the world’s countries.

Excerpts read, “Entries of not more than three verses of six lines each in English are invited from Nigerians and non-Nigerians inside and outside Nigeria who can put this spirit into words (the setting of the verses to music will be the subject of another announcement). Closing date for entries: March 31, 1959.”

The entries were to be sent to the Independence Celebrations Officer, c/o Ministry of Internal Affairs in Lagos State.

The archives showed entries from many countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Ghana, French Cameroons, Senegal, Algeria, Cyprus, South Africa, and Belgium.

Furthermore, the entries, which were mandatory to express the spirit of a free and independent Nigeria, should be three verses of six lines each.

After a worldwide competition for a poem for the National anthem, Lillian Jean Williams (a British official of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Welfare) was declared the winner.

She won £100 and donated the money to the Nigerian Red Cross.

3693 entries

After Williams’s ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ was selected, a competition for the music to the anthem was opened.

According to the archives, 3,693 entries were received from around the world for consideration for the music to accompany the lyrics of ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’.

The entries were received as far away as British Guiana, Malta, Canada, and Australia.

The archives further stated that the Nigerian government offered a prize of £1,000 ($2,800) for the music for a National Anthem.

For the entry, the same tune was required for each of the National Anthem’s three verses and must fit the words of each verse.

“Each entry must consist of one complete pianoforte score. No entries will be returned, and the federal government will retain the copyright to the composition selected as the National Anthem.

“Entries should be sent to ‘The Independence Celebrations Officer, 34/36 Ikoyi Road, Lagos, Nigeria, and marked “National Anthem” on the outer cover. Receipt of entries will be acknowledged, and the closing date for receipt is November 30, 1959”, the archives revealed.

Around the same time, the federal government launched four competitions in 1959, namely, National Flag – Open to Nigerians only, National Anthem (lyrics) – Nigerians and Foreigners, National Anthem (music) – Nigerians and Foreigners and the Independence Stamps.

Plot twist

After the successful entries were received, Miss Frances Benda from London, not Frances Berda, as has been widely reported, was the £1000 star prize winner.

However, Frances Benda was her pen name, and her actual name was Mrs Charles Kernot.

She was described as a private music teacher and professional pianist at the Carol Hill School of Classical Ballet, London.

A panel of six Nigerian judges—Fela Sowande, O. Omideyi, T. K. E. Philips, W. C. Echazona, M. C. Majekodunmi, and H. Lawson—selected her winning entry.

Sourced From Nigerian Music