National Anthem Comparison
South Sudan vs Uganda
2
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
49
49 years apart
✓
Same continent
South Sudan
South Sudan Oyee!
Uganda
Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty
Comparison Analysis
South Sudan and Uganda, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. South Sudan's "South Sudan Oyee!" was written in 2011, while Uganda's "Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty" dates to 1962.
Both anthems share themes of unity and god / faith. South Sudan additionally explores independence, flag and ancestors / heritage, while Uganda also touches on freedom, nature and peace.
The emotional tones differ: South Sudan's anthem is joyful, while Uganda's is hopeful.
Uganda's anthem predates South Sudan's by 49 years, having been written in 1962 compared to 2011.
Shared themes
South Sudan
🗽 Independence 🤝 Unity ✝ God / Faith 🚩 Flag 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Uganda
🤝 Unity 🕊 Freedom 🌿 Nature ✝ God / Faith ☮ Peace
Shared themes:
🤝 Unity ✝ God / Faith
Metadata
| South Sudan | Uganda | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 2011 | 1962 |
| Adopted | 2011 | 1962 |
| Lyricist | A collective of 49 poets | George Wilberforce Kakoma |
| Composer | Students and teachers of the University of Juba | George Wilberforce Kakoma |
| Language | en | en |
| Region | East Africa | East Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
South Sudan
South Sudan Oyee!
Original
Oh God!
We praise and glorify you
For your grace on South Sudan,
Land of great abundance,
Uphold us united in peace and harmony.
Oh motherland!
We rise raising flag with the guiding star
And sing songs of freedom with joy,
For justice, liberty, and prosperity
Shall forever more reign.
Oh great patriots!
Let us stand up in silence and respect,
Saluting our martyrs whose blood
Cemented our national foundation,
We vow to protect our nation.
Oh God, bless South Sudan!
Uganda
Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty
Original
Oh Uganda! may God uphold thee,
We lay our future in thy hand.
United, free,
For liberty
Together we'll always stand.
Oh Uganda! the land of freedom.
Our love and labour we give,
And with neighbours all
At our country's call
In peace and friendship we'll live.
Oh Uganda! the land that feeds us
By sun and fertile soil grown.
For our own dear land,
We'll always stand:
The Pearl of Africa's Crown.
Oh Uganda! may God uphold thee,
We lay our future in thy hand.
United, free,
For liberty
Together we'll always stand.
Interesting facts
South Sudan
- 1. The 'Oyee!' in the title is a cheer equivalent to 'Hooray!', which South Sudan's army, the SSPDF, has also used as its slogan.
- 2. The anthem committee launched its competition in August 2010, six months before the independence referendum; the music was chosen over three rounds, in a contest the BBC likened to a Sudanese-style X Factor.
- 3. The version sung in January 2011 praised God's grace upon 'Cush', the ancient kingdom named in the Bible, and saluted 'black warriors'; the official text speaks instead of 'South Sudan, land of great abundance' and of 'great patriots'.
Uganda
- 1. Before independence, a government subcommittee held a nationwide contest for the anthem. According to the published account of the later court case, some 50 entries were submitted and four were shortlisted; Kakoma, who said he wrote his entry in a single day, was declared the winner in July 1962.
- 2. The anthem contains no references to war or enemies. Its three short stanzas ask God to uphold Uganda and speak of liberty, love and labour, peace and friendship with neighbors, and the fertile land, ending with the words 'The Pearl of Africa's Crown'.
- 3. At just eight bars, it is one of the shortest national anthems in the world, and all three stanzas are sung at international football matches.
- 4. Kakoma was paid 2,000 Ugandan shillings for the anthem and later sued the government for royalties. In 2019, after his death, the Court of Appeal ruled that the copyright had belonged to the government and that the anthem's copyright protection had ended in 2012.
Listen
South Sudan
Uganda
