Christy Essien-Igbokwe

Essien 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.

Essien began her musical career in secondary school, singing at clubs such as Uka Onu's Club and Unikoko in Aba. She appeared on Now Sound on the Nigerian Television Authority's Channel 6 in Aba. The New Masquerade also aired at that time on the station;

[1]. She joined the cast of The New Masquerade in 1976 as Akpenor, the wife of 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 her 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 and Scars of Womanhood (both of which addressed child abuse and female circumcision).[2] 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.[2] 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.[2] She operated a shop in Etinan, selling industrial printing machines.

Essien married Chief Edwin Chukwunenye Igbokwe, managing director of Punch Nigeria, in October 1979. They had four sons (Obiora Chukwuemeka, Chinwuba Kenechukwu Kaka, Solomon Chukwukadibia Olubunmi, and Lucky Samuel Azubueze) and three grandchildren: Elizabeth Uduak, Christiana Chizaramekpeleamaka Ijeoma, and David.

Essien-Igbokwe managed the non-governmental Essential Child Care Foundation. She performed with her second-oldest son, Kaka, at the January 2009 Inspire Africa benefit concert and participated in the MTN Musical Festival that year. Kaka is a hip-hop artist and producer. Essien-Igbokwe's album, Ever Liked My Person, was certified platinum in Nigeria.[3] She died of a gastro-intestinal disorder on 30 June 2011 at age 50 in Ikeja General Hospital. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and musician Victor Uwaifo paid tribute to the singer.[4][5][6]

Essien-Igbokwe was known as "Lady of Songs".[4] On 11 November 2018, what would have been her 58th birthday, Google commemorated her life with a doodle.[2][7]

• Freedom (1977)
• Patience (1978)
• Time Waits For No One (1978)
• One Understanding (1979)
• Give Me A Chance (1980)
• Ever Liked My Person? (1981)
• It's Time (1982)
• Taking My Time (1986)
• Hear The Call (1990)
• Mysteries of Life (1992)
• All of a Sudden (2011)[8]

• Seun Rere on OldNaija.com
• Christy Essien on Discogs