About Pa Odiase
Lived 1934 – 2013 (aged 78). Pa Odiase was a Nigerian composer.
Pa Benedict Odiase (August 25, 1934 – June 11, 2013) was a Nigerian composer who composed "Arise, O Compatriots," the former national anthem of Nigeria. "Arise, O Compatriots," which was adopted in 1978, replaced the country's previous (now reinstated) national anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee".
Odiase was born in 1934, and raised in British Nigeria, where Edo State is now. He served in the Nigerian Police Force from 1954 to 1992 and was also the music director of the Nigeria Police Band and the MId-West State Police Band. He was awarded the Order of the Niger in December 2001.
Odiase died from a short illness on June 11, 2013, at the age of 78.
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Pa Odiase?
Nigerian composer of the national anthem (1934–2013)
When was Pa Odiase born?
Pa Odiase was born on 25 August 1934 in Nigeria.
When did Pa Odiase die?
Pa Odiase died on 12 June 2013 in Lagos State.
What was Pa Odiase's occupation?
Pa Odiase was a composer.
What nationality was Pa Odiase?
Pa Odiase was Nigerian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Pa Odiase. https://biography.guide/pa-odiase/
MLA: "Pa Odiase." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/pa-odiase/.
Chicago: "Pa Odiase." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/pa-odiase/.
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