BIGSONG:
Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe, (11 November 1960 – 30 June 2011) was a Nigerian musician and actress. Called “Nigeria’s Lady of Songs”, she was known for her songs “Seun Rere” Tete Nula, Ife, Hear the Call and Give me a Chance. She was the first female president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), and the chairwoman and managing director of Soul Train Entertainment.
She sang in Igbo, Ibibio, Efik, Hausa, Yoruba and English. Her fluency in Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, English, and her native Ibibio gave her an appeal which crossed tribal lines.
Early life
Christy was born in Okat, Onna, Akwa Ibom State. Her mother died when she was 12; she then lived in Aba, Abia with a friend of her mother, who encouraged her singing career and bought her a second-hand cassette player to record her songs.
Career
Christy began her musical career in secondary school, singing at clubs such as Unikoko in Aba. She appeared as a regular on the NTA Aba variety shows Now Sound and Ukaonu’s Club, and in 1976 she joined the cast of The New Masquerade as Akpenor, the wife of the cantankerous character Jegede Sokoya (Claude Eke). Her role on the popular show caught the public eye, and she released her debut album (Freedom) the following year. Essien’s albums sold well, and most successful was 1981’s Ever Liked My Person (produced by Lemmy Jackson).At the forefront of issues affecting women and children, she empowered thousands of women, she appeared in early Nollywood films such as Flesh and Blood (co-starring with Richard Mofe-Damijo, Ameze Imarhiagbe, and Ekpeyong Bassey Inyang and Directed by Chico Ejiro) and Scars of Womanhood (co-starring Kate Henshaw, Sam Loco Efe, Justus Esiri, Francis Duru) both of which addressed child abuse and female circumcision. Desiring to improve life for Nigerian artists, Essien is credited with initiating the first meeting which formed the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in 1981. The association was founded a year later; King Sunny Adé was president, Sonny Okosun was vice-president, and Essien was treasurer. From 1996 to 1999, she was the PMAN’s first female president. Essien appeared in many national and international shows and composed and performed Akwa Ibom State’s informal anthem, “Akwa Ibom Mmi (My Akwa Ibom)”, in 1987. Christy Essien Igbokwe released 10 Albums between the 1977 and 1992, with an 11th on the horizon before her demise, which was later released in 2013. She was active globally with her music and acting throughout her career. In her later years, She performed with her second son, Chinwuba Kenechukwu Kaka, at the January 2009 Inspire Africa benefit concert and participated in the MTN Musical Festival later that year. Chinwuba Kenechukwu Kaka is a hip-hop artist and producer and the father of her granddaughter Christiana Chizaramekpeleamaka Ijeoma. Essien-Igbokwe’s album, Ever Liked My Person, which had the monster hit Seun Rere was certified platinum in Nigeria. A Biography titled Uduak “The will of God” was produced and sponsored by Exxon Mobil in the 90s to show her life and career so far at the time. Her granddaughter remixes hit song ‘Seun Rere.
Death
Essien-Igbokwe died after a brief illness on 30 June 2011 at age 50 at Ikeja General Hospital. Then Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, Onyeka Owenu, Bisi Olatilo (Veteran Broadcaster), Soni Irabor, Oritz Wiliki, Remi Tinubu, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Aliko Dangote and Victor Uwaifo amongst others paid tribute to the singer. To celebrate the remembrance of the late music icon on the 30th of June 2020, the granddaughter of Christy Essien Igbokwe “Christiana Chizaramekpeleamaka Ijeoma” covered “You’re Welcome” from Disney’s “Moana“.
