Land Of The Rising Sun: The Biafran National Anthem Written by Nnamdi Azikwe

The history of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) is often told through battles and coups, but to truly understand the spirit of the time, one must listen to its music. The Biafran national anthem, titled “Land of the Rising Sun,” remains one of the most important symbols of the secessionist Republic of Biafra.

The lyrics for the anthem of the secessionist state were actually penned by a staunch Nigerian nationalist, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Long before the hostilities of the late 1960s, Nnamdi Azikiwe had written a poem titled “Land of the Rising Sun.” When the Republic of Biafra was declared by Lt. Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Biafran government sought symbols to legitimise their sovereignty and Azikiwe’s poem was adopted.

While the lyrics were written by a Nigerian, the melody was adopted from “Finlandia,” a tone poem written by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

Biafran Anthem: Land Of The Rising Sun

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 hearts 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.

Thanks for reading, OldNaija.com. This article is part of our Complete History of the Nigerian Civil War series.

References:

1. Schwarm, B. (n.d.). Finlandia. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Finlandia
2. OldNaija. (2014, November 17). Nnamdi Azikiwe: Nigeria’s first president and champion of the nation.
3. NationalAnthems.info. (n.d.). Biafra. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from https://nationalanthems.info/bia.htm
4. OldNaija. (2015, January 31). Ojukwu’s secession speech declaring the Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967.