The time is set in the 80s, in the boom of the sale of crude oil in Nigeria. The economy was booming and everything was going fine. It seemed to be heaven on earth for Nigerians. The music was getting better and growing wider; the Nigerian sound was beginning to make waves around the continent and globally. On the social aspect, the Nigerian society gave little or no room to women to express themselves, let alone a chance to be on the music scene. Despite these challenges, some women went against the norm of the society to pursue their dreams. They seized the spotlight and they stamped their presence on the sands of time.
- Christie Essien-Igbokwe (MFR): Born in Akwa Ibom State on the 11th of November 1960 and died on the 30th of June 2011, was an actress and musician popularly known for her graceful voice. She was able to pass across her messages in her songs with the use of Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Ibibio and English, which gave her a wider reach to her audience.
She started singing from a very young age, often performing in several Clubs in Abia. She made her TV debut on the show “Now Sound” on NTA Channel 6 in Abia. In 1976, she continued her TV career on the show “The New Masquerade” in 1976 as Akpenor, the wife of Jegede Sokoya. Her character on the show was well executed and she became a popular character amongst the viewers. In 1977, she released her debut album – “Freedom” – to critical acclaim. Her most successful album, “Ever Liked My Person?” was released in 1981. She released 11 albums between the span of 1979 to 2013. She won several awards both locally and internationally. On the forefront of fighting for Women and Children, she was active as she empowered thousands of women. She also appeared in the movies Scars of Womanhood and Flesh and Blood which both spoke against Child Abuse and Women Circumcision. Her songs “Seun Rere”, “Tete Nula”, “Hear the Call” remain evergreen.
Seun Rere –
- The Ladiju Sisters: The Ladiju Sisters (October 22, 1948 – November 9, 2019) were identical twins that rocked the Nigerian airways from the mid 60s to the 80s with their brilliant mixture of Afrobeat with Jazz, Disco, Waka and Reggae which birthed a distinct fusion of sounds that differentiated them from the rest. The Ladiju Sisters are cousins with the legend Fela Kuti. In their prime between the 70s and 80s, they found success outside the shores of Africa, America and Europe especially, a testament to this was their performance at the 1972 Olympics Games In Munich, Germany with Ginger Baker’s Band, Salt. Their first album, Iya Jowo, was released in 1969; they released 5 more albums afterwards, all to critical acclaim. The Ladiju Sisters were making music that crossed borders in the time where women were not given the chance to be in the music industry.
Come Home –
- Angelique Kidjo: Angelique Kidjo is a Beninese-Nigerian born in July 14, 1960. She is a Singer, Songwriter and Activist. She is known for her powerful voice and her multi-cultural themed music videos and diverse lyricism in several African languages like Yoruba, Swahili, Fon, Gen and French. Time Magazine referred to her as Africa’s Premier Diva in 2007. She started singing at age six when she joined her Mother’s theatre troupe. She joined her school band, “Les Sphinx” and got her big break with her cover of Miriam Makeba’s “Les Trois Z” which gained airplay on National radio. While studying Jazz in Paris in the 80s, she joined the band Pili Pili, the band went on to release three albums akko (1987), Be In Two Minds (1988) and Hotel Babo (1990). She has 17 albums to her name with 5 singles peaking on charts across Europe and America. She appeared in several TV shows such as Late Show with David Letterman in 2007, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2007, NOW with Bill Moyers in 2002, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher in 2003. She also recorded several Soundtracks to movies such as Le Code A Changé by Danielle Thompson, The Lion King 2, My Favourite Season by André Téchiné, Pray the Devil Back To Hell, Sahara, Six Feet Under, Streetfighter. She has won several awards over the years including four Grammy awards.
Wombo Lombo –
- Onyeka Onwenu: Born in 31 January 1952, is a Nigerian singer/songwriter, actress, human right activist, social activist and Journalist. She started out as a journalist with NTA, making an instant impact as a news caster and a reporter. She wrote and presented the internationally acclaimed BBC/NTA documentary Nigeria, A Squandering of Riches, a documentary on the excesses of the Nigerian government and the challenges the Niger Delta region is faced with. She also hosted the shows “Contact” and “Who’s On?” on NTA. She started off as a secular artiste and released her first album, “For The Love of You” in 1981. She went on to release 4 more albums before making the switch to Gospel music in the 90s. She sang about peace and mutual coexistence, regard for women rights, and the problems faced by children. She contested for the Local Council Chairman of her local government, Ideato under People’s Democratic Party twice and lost on both occasions. She was on the forefront of fighting against artiste not getting paid royalties for their works. She made her acting debut in the movie Nightmare as Jumoke, a childless woman who adopts an abandoned baby in Zik Zulu Okafor’s masterpiece. In 2006 she won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the movie “Widow’s Cot”, and also made appearances in “Half of a Yellow Sun” (2014) and “Lion Heart” (2018).
Wait For Me feat. King Sunny Ade
