Land of the Rising Sun (anthem)

Not to be confused with Kimigayo or House of the Rising Sun.

National anthem of Biafra

Land of the Rising Sun

Sheet music

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National anthem of  Biafra

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Lyrics| Nnamdi Azikiwe
Music| Jean Sibelius
Adopted| 1967
Relinquished| 1970
Audio sample

"Land of the Rising Sun"

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Land of the Rising Sun was the proclaimed national anthem of the secessionist African state of Biafra, formerly known as Eastern Region, Nigeria. The lyrics were written by Nnamdi Azikiwe,[1] and the tune was adopted from Jean Sibelius' "Finlandia", as Biafran president C. Odumegwu Ojukwu enjoyed the musical works of Sibelius.[2][3]

## Lyrics

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> 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 lives 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,
>  O 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.

## References

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1. ^ Obiwu (1 November 2007). "The Pan-African Brotherhood of Langston Hughes and Nnamdi Azikiwe". Dialectical Anthropology. 31 (1): 143–165\. doi:10.1007/s10624-007-9029-2. ISSN 1573-0786.
2. ^ "Biafra – nationalanthems.info". Retrieved 27 April 2021.
3. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (2011-11-26). "Odumegwu Ojukwu, Breakaway Biafra Leader, Dies at 78". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-08-24.

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Biafra articles

History|

* 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom
* Nigeria-Biafra War
* Ahiara Declaration
* Aburi Accord
* Republic of Benin
* Blockade of Biafra
* Biafran airlift
* Ogbunigwe
* 2016 Niger Delta conflict
* Insurgency in Southeastern Nigeria

Geography|

* Enugu (first capital)
* Umuahia (second capital)
* Eastern Nigeria

Politics|

* Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
* Philip Effiong
* Military
* Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)

Ethnic groups|

* Igbo
* Efik
* Ibibio
* Annang
* Ijaw
* Ikwerre
* Andoni
* Egbema

Culture|

* Biafran pound (currency)
* Flag
* "Land of the Rising Sun" (national anthem)
* Postage stamps and postal history

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