I pledge to Nigeria my country. 

To be faithful, loyal, and honest. 

To serve Nigeria with all my strength. 

To defend her unity and uphold her honour and glory

So help me God.

If you are reading this line now, then you indeed just finished reciting the Nigeria National Pledge of allegiance. The national pledge is usually recited immediately after the singing of the Nigerian national anthem, in schools and other public functions within the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

The national pledge which was adopted in 1976 has remained one of the binding forces holding Nigeria together as a nation by imbuing upon the citizenry a genuine sense of patriotic obligation to the progress and unity of Nigeria. 

Even though words will not be enough to describe the contributions of the national pledge towards the sustainability of Nigeria's sovereignty, very little is known about the woman conceived and imprinted the wordings of this great pillar of national unity. 

Her name as verified from Wikipedia.org is Prof (Mrs.) Felicia Adebola Adedoyin. Professor Felicia Adedoyin was born in Shaki, Shaki West Local Government Area of Oyo State on the 6th of November 1938.

She is a princess and one of six children from the Iji ruling house of Shaki. 

What led to her writing the national pledge? 

Professor Adedoyin was compared to write the national pledge due to the pressure she received from a question she was asked by her children. Her children were already familiar with reciting the Oath of Allegiance in their school in the United States and also the State Pledge in Achimotu School in Accra Ghana. 

Out of childhood curiosity and vehemence, they inquired to know why they didn't recite any pledge while they were in Nigeria. Their mother, not willing to deceive them told them the bitter truth that their fatherland had no National Pledge.

This eventually translated into the major challenge that propelled her to compose a National Pledge for Nigeria and she finally achieved it in June 1976 while she was just 38 years old. 

Her new creativity was featured in the Daily Times of July 15, 1976, in an article titled "Loyalty to the Nation, Pledge". Her work was eventually presented to General Olusegun Obasanjo, the then Head of State who accepted and modified the work. 

In September 1976, General Obasanjo degreed that all school children should recite Pledge in their assemblies daily. Obasanjo testified to this in his book " Not My Will" (1990, pg. 118). 

It would be unfair for you to leave this page without dropping a word of respect to this great Heroine of our nation. Also, remember to share this post with others.