Christy Essien-Igbokwe

Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe, MFR (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 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. 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" (co staring with Richard Mofe-Damijo, Ameze Imarhiagbe and Ekpeyong Bassey Inyang and Directed by Chico Ejiro) and "Scars of Womanhood" (co staring 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 grand daughter 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. 
Family.
Christy 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 later three grandchildren: Elizabeth Uduak, Christiana Chizaramekpeleamaka Ijeoma, and David which Christy never lived to see.
Later life and death.
SOME OF HER ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:
FORMATION OF PMAN: With her ideas and husband’s support, she recorded the feat as the brain behind the formation of the only recognized national (union) body for musicians in the country aptly called Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in 1982. It is meant to cater for the welfare and protection of Nigerian musicians and their rights, nationally and internationally. When the Union was heading for extinction, she was dragged to head it so as to revive her baby. This culminated in her serving as PMAN President for two terms and remains, till date, the only female so far to have headed a trade union in Nigeria.
FORMATION OF PMRS: She is a founding member of the Performing and Mechanical Rights Society (PMRS) of Nigeria and was the Chairman of the Board for two consecutive terms; becoming the second female to head the Society – after Chief (Mrs.) Keji Okunowo. The society is majorly concerned with the general responsibility of negotiating, collecting and distributing royalties on behalf of musical copyright owners who are mostly its members.
ABROGATION OF OFFSHORE/ONSHORE OIL DICHOTOMY: It is on record that what the littoral State in Nigeria are enjoying today is as a result of the abrogation of the obnoxious onshore and offshore oil dichotomy which was made possible by God through Christy’s final push. She mounted campaign of persuasion that saw the regime of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida initiate and abrogate the dichotomy; thereby putting paid to the struggle that lasted decades.
SUSTAINED EXISTENCE OF THE FRSC: It was through her interventional effort that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) remains today as separate entity. When it was planned for scrapping or merging with the Nigeria Police Force, she brought pressure to bear on the federal government and thus the FRSC was spared till today. This again was during the tenure of Military President Ibrahim Babangida.
PRIVATE TELEPHONY: It is a fact that granting license for the private telephony started from the regime of late General Sani Abacha. Christy had to intervene by pushing forward the idea that the world is fast changing in telecommunication. The idea came to her when a private telephone company (EMIS) that had its equipment and staff ready approached her with their predicament as a result of license denial. She fought this and thus EMIS became the first privately licensed telecommunication company; others then followed with ease.
HER BUSINESS EMPIRE: This has spanned over years now. She is the Group Managing Director of her family’s group of Companies – Chuduak Limited, Soultrain Entertainment Limited, Chuduak Graphic Machinery Limited, Eagle Graphic Equipment Limited, Chuduak Properties, etc.
CHARITY PROGRAMMES:
Her Charity programmes dated back to 1980 when she started championing the cause of the less privileged in our society especially the Nigerian Child. This is also evidenced in her works such as:
In fact Royalty from the sales of her past albums remains directed towards charity projects and the needy in our society.
The Lady of Songs has successfully and single-handedly pursued and executed charity projects in the following States in Nigeria
Christy was fully engaged in a Child care programme she tagged “Essential Childcare Foundation”. This project kicked off in 1992 with a National Dialogue involving Nigeria’s distinguished Speakers. The Foundation was legally registered and launched on April 30, 1994 with eminent personalities as members of the Board of Trustees. They are successful industrialists and professionals – Chief Abdulaziz C. Ude (Chairman), former Information Minister, Chief Tony Momoh (Vice-Chairman), late Dr. Simi Johnson (General Secretary), Dr. Muktar Bello (Auditor), Engineer (Mrs.) Comfort Ponnle (Treasurer), Mrs. Njideka Ezeife, Chief Austin Izagbo, former Chief (Mrs.) Helen Esuene and Chief (Mrs.) Christy Essien Igbokwe (Publicity/Welfare Officer). Before she died she spoke passionately towards the establishment of a “Half-Way-Home” – Centre for missing and disadvantaged children. It is on this pretext in other to carry on with the charitable gestures of THE LADY OF SONGS a FOUNDATION named THE CHRISTY ESSIEN IGBOKWE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION has been set up to keep the legacy of the legend evergreen. On children’s day the foundation organized an event for the less privileged kids from different homes with prizes given to the best kids. The foundation has organized several charity events and keeps her tradition of visiting homes on her birthday alive. 
She 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 30th of June 2020, the granddaughter of Christy Essien Igbokwe " Christiana Chizaramekpeleamaka Ijeoma" covered “You’re Welcome” from Disney’s “Moana“.
Awards and honours.
INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
NATIONAL AWARDS
MATRONSHIP/EXTRA CURRICULA POSITIONS
POSTHUMOUS AWARDS