As reactions trail the shocking demise of Chief (Mrs.) Christy Essien-Igbokwe, last Thursday, stakeholders in the arts sector have called on the federal government to immortalize the late artiste who in her lifetime had earned the nickname of ‘Lady of Songs’ in Nigeria.
Director General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Prof Tunde Babawale, who described the news of the death of Essien-Igbokwe, as ‘tragic’ told M2A the loss of the late artiste ‘was a huge blow for the arts and culture community in Nigeria.
“Her footprints in the sands of the Nigerian music and theatre scenes would be hard to fill. The music scene will miss her; the theatre scene will also miss her. She was very relevant to the society not only for the beauty of her songs but also for the message contained in them.”
Babawale who however noted that it had become very rare to find artistes in Nigeria whose songs had much relevance to the growth and development of the youth in the society therefore called on the federal government to immortalize the late Essien-Igbokwe.
“It is very rare today to get musicians whose messages are culturally relevant to the society as Christy was. She contributed immensely to the cultural growth and breeding of the young ones in her time. Federal government should consider immortalizing this lady for contributions to the society through her songs,” said the CBAAC chief.
Babawale while recalling how the late Christy Essien-Igbokwe gave Yoruba names to her children and the numerous awards and accolades which her brand of music fetched her, further described her as a woman of many parts which manifested in her music, marriage and style of administration as the first female President of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN).
“ Her successful and scandal-free marriage to a man from a tribe different from hers, her mastery of Igbo and Yoruba languages, which she proficiently deployed in her music, and her motherly and inclusive style with which she administered PMAN during her tenure, lend credence to her image as a woman of substance well grounded in Nigerian/ African culture and tradition. Many of her popular songs were done in native languages and she used her talent to project not only Nigeria but the continent of Africa also,” Babawale said.
Prominent musician, songwriter and actress Chief (Mrs.) Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe died in the early hours of penultimate Thursday at the age of 50 barely five months before her 51st birthday due in November.
The late Essien-Igbokwe shot into limelight in early 70’s when she featured in the Nigerian Television (NTA) Aba produced sit-com Masquerade, that later became the New Masquerade on national television. The late Essien-Igbokwe’s role as ‘Apena, wife of Jegede Shokoya (played by late Claude Eke) endeared her to the millions of viewers attracted to the show helping to get it a bigger spotlight.
Her rather short role in that popular sitcom put her to the limelight and in 1977 she launched a professional music career, aged 17, even as she reduced her roles in the situational comedy series to cameo appearances on the New Masquerade episodes.
Essien-Igbokwe’s adventure in the Nigerian music scene birthed albums like Freedom in 1977, Patience in 1978, Time Waits For No One in 1978, One Understanding in 1979, Give Me A Chance in 1980, Ever Liked My Person? in 1981, Taking My Time in 1986, Hear The Call in 1990, and It’s Time in 1994/5.
The late Essien-Igbokwe earned the nickname ‘ Lady of Songs’ following successive hit songs she released in the Nigerian market, just as she was also elected the first female president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN).
She also best remembered for hit songs like Omo Mi Seun Re Re, Hear the Call and Tete Nu Na Ula.
As one of Nigeria’s finest and foremost female pop vocalists, her roll call of honours include Africa music mother award (1984), international special achievement award Mexico (1983), World Song Festival Award, Association of theatre arts practitioners Lagos (1996), National Honours Award(MFR) IN 2002.
Essien lost her mother at age 12 and her dad in 2005.Growing up she lived with her late mother’s friend who encouraged her singing career and bought her a fairly used cassette player to record her songs.
Remarkably, she has also featured in two home videos, namely; “Flesh and Blood” and “Sacred of Womanhood in the early days of Nollywood.
The Akwa-Ibom born songstress has to her credit the rare honour of composing and performing what would later become the Akwa Ibom theme song titled; “Akwa-Ibom Mmi (My Akwa-Ibom)” in 1987, its year of creation.
So far, of the six original lead cast members of the original Masquerade television drama programme, only four remain since Mr. Claude Eke (Jegede Shokoya who incidentally was the other half of the screen couple with Essien-Igbokwe as Apena, the wife) died in 2002.
As it is, only Davies Offor (Clarus) who is now visually impaired, Chike Okpalla (Chief Zebrudaya), Lizzy Evoeme (Ovularia., his wife) and James Iroha (as Giringory) remain from a cast that thrilled the Nigerian television audience from the early 1970’s to the era of the New Masquerade that succeeded the sitcom.
The late Essien-Igbokwe will be buried in September.
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