About Christy Essien-Igbokwe

Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe MFR (11 November 1960 – 30 June 2011) was a Nigerian musician and actress. Sometimes called Nigeria's Lady of Songs, she was known for her song "Seun Rere". She was the first female president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN). She was also the chairwoman and managing director of Soul Train entertainment limited. Essien-Igbokwe sang her songs in Igbo, Ibibio, Efik, Hausa and Yoruba, and as well as in English. Essien's fluency in Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, English and her native Ibibio earned her an appeal which cut across tribal lines. Essien-Igbokwe was born in Okat, Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. She lost her mother at the age of 12 and her father in 2005. Growing up she lived in Aba, Abia State with her late mother's friend who encouraged her singing career and bought her a fairly used cassette player to record her songs. Essien-Igbokwe began her musical career in Secondary School singing at various clubs in Aba, Abia State such as Uka Onu's Club and Unikoko. She featured on the Nigerian Television Authority (N.T.A.) Channel 6, Aba programme called 'Now Sound'. During that time a show called 'The New Masquerade' was also airing on the same station . During a taping of one of the show's episodes, she noticed that a cast member was rehearsing his lines incorrectly so she volunteered to correct him and thereafter she was offered a role in the series. In 1976 she joined the cast of the 'The New Masquerade'. Her role as Akpenor, the wife of the cantankerous character, Jegede Sokoya (played by Claude Eke who died in 2002) on that popular show put her in the limelight and in 1977 she launched a professional music career. She released her debut album in 1977 called 'Freedom'. Many of her albums became hit records but none came close to the success of her 1981 hit album 'Ever Liked My Person' produced by Lemmy Jackson. Always at the forefront of issues affecting women and children, she played remarkable roles in some of the early Nollywood flicks such as 'Flesh and Blood' and 'Scars of Womanhood', both of which addressed issues of child abuse and female circumcision. With a desire to make life better for Nigerian artists, she is credited as having initiated the first meeting that brought about the formation of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN in 1981. A year later, PMAN was founded and King Sunny Adé became the president with the late Sonny Okosun serving as his vice, while she was the National Treasurer. Between 1996 and 1999, she was the first female PMAN president. The Akwa Ibom born performer also had the honour of composing and performing what would later be known as her state's informal anthem, "Akwa Ibom Mmi (My Akwa Ibom)" in 1987, its year of creation. The singer, who featured in many national and international shows, operated a shop in Etinan, her native town in Akwa Ibom State where she sold printing machines. Close to the time of her death, she was involved in private business, running the non-governmental organisation Essential Child Care Foundation involved in child welfare needs and rights as well. Her recent public outings include the Inspire Africa Benefit Concert in January 2009, where she performed alongside her son Kaka and the MTN Musical Festival, a musical show of old and new-breed musicians in 2009. Her second son, Kaka is also towing the music line. He is a hip hop artiste and producer. One of her earliest albums 'Ever Liked my Person' sold above platinum till date. So popular was one of its hit songs 'Seun Rere', that a number of African countries have sung their own version. The singer intended to spend the day with the less-privileged children as she has always done over the years.[2] Essien-Igbokwe died on 30 June 2011 after a brief illness. Essien-Igbokwe won several awards throughout her career including Nigerian lady of songs award which she received in 1984, Africa music mother award 1984, International special achievement award in Mexico in 1983, world song festival award, Los Angeles, queen of music international award association of theatre arts practitioners in Lagos in 1996 and outstanding achievement in female uplifting. She also contributed enormously to nation building, peace and tolerance – which, alongside moral uprightness, remain constant themes of her songs.