Rise O Voices of Rhodesia was adopted as the national anthem of Rhodesia in 1974, following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1965. Embarrassingly, the tune was that of Beethoven's Choral Symphony, which was also used by the Council of Europe, and subsequently by the European Community. The words, wrtitten by Mary Bloom, a South African, were chosen from in a national competition.
Rhodesia reverted to de facto British control for a brief period in 1980, before becoming fully independent as Zimbabwe in the same year.
A new national flag was adopted in 1968 to replace the British colonial ensign, but Rhodesia had no national anthem until 1974, when it adopted one called RiseOVoices of Rhodesia, to the tune of the Ode to Joy of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
Unlike South Africa, Rhodesia's fl African majority had representation in parliament, but the separate franchise was restricted to those who owned property, and also tribal chiefs, many of whom were regarded as puppets of the white regime.
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved on January 1, 1964.
UDI was internationally condemned, and at the behest of Britain, Rhodesia was placed under the first United Nations Security Council authorised sanctions, beginning in 1965 and lasting until the restoration of British rule in December 1979.
Initially, the state maintained its loyalty to Queen Elizabeth II as "Queen of Rhodesia" (a title to which she never consented) but not to her representative, the Governor Sir Humphrey Gibbs, whose constitutional duties were exercised by an "Officer Administering the Government", Clifford Dupont.
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