fergie001: Nigeria's lady of Songs was born Christiana Uduak Essien in Okat, Onna Local Government Area of present-day Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria on the 11th of November, 1960.
She lost her father in 2005 and her mother whilst she was 12 years old. After the demise of her mother, she had gone to live with her mother's friend where the latter encouraged her to keep up her musical career by getting her a used cassette-player to record her songs.
She performed at Secondary schools in Aba as well as a feature at the Nigeria Television Authority, Channel 6 "New Sound" programme, Aba. Her breakthrough came up with the role of "Akpenor", the wife of the humoured Jegede Sokoya in the popular sitcom series of the '80s, The New Masquerade. She capitalised on the fame and ventured into professional music in 1977, aged 17 with her maiden album, Freedom. In 1981, her biggest album, "Ever Liked My Person" hit the radio waves with her evergreen and unforgettable Seun Rere.
Same year,she was attributed to have set up the first meet for an association to protect musicians. In 1982, the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) was born, with her as National Treasurer. In 1996, she became the first female President of PMAN.
Until her death, she remained an activist fighting against female circumcision and championing issues as it affects the Nigerian child. She starred in two movies "Flesh and Blood" and "Scars of Womanhood" reflecting a new societal path in distancing from the past norm of girl-child mutilation.
With over 40 awards, "the lady of songs" sang fluently in English, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Hausa and her native Ibibio. She got married to Edwin Igbokwe (then an Executive of the Punch newspapers) in 1979 with whom she had four children.
She slept in the LORD on this day, June 30, 2011, aged 50.... A service of songs was held in her honour at the National Theatre, Iganmu. We will always remember the rhythms of Seun Rere, Patience and her unvarnished love for children.
JUST IN: Rape Scandal: Two arrested as hooded SSS officials storm COZA
June 30, 2019 Samuel Ogundipe and Azeezat Adedigba
Two unidentified men have been taken into custody by security agents after they turned up at a planned protest outside the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Abuja.
The church has come under nationwide interest since one of its members came out Friday to accuse Biodun Fatoyinbo, its lead preacher, of rape.
Busola Dakolo, the wife of the musician Timi, said she was raped by Mr Fatoyinbo at age 16 in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Mr Fatoyinbo has denied the allegations and threatened a lawsuit.
A large segment of Nigerians on social media dismissed the preacher’s explanation and stood in solidarity with Mrs Dakolo, now a mother of three.
The rape allegation led to a call for a protest at the COZA headquarters in Abuja.
Two of the male protesters were driven away in a black Mercedes Benz C200 saloon belonging to an unidentified security agency shortly before 8:00 a.m, according to witnesses.
PREMIUM TIMES has not been able to identify the agency responsible for the arrest.
Two witnesses outside the church told PREMIUM TIMES they were angry that security agencies had started clamping down on citizens even though the protest was yet to begin.
The protest was planned for 8:30 a.m. by social media organisers.
The church has seen an increase in security measure over the weekend, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.
As protesters began to arrive, more security personnel were also deployed at the church’s headquarters in Abuja’s Guzape neighbourhood.
At least 30 police officers were seen around the church. About 20 Civil Defence men were also seen scattered between the church’s junction on Murtala Muhammed Way and the church’s premises, a distance of about 1.2 kilometres.
Hooded men from the State Security Service (SSS) were also everywhere outside the church, a presence some of the protesters said was aimed at intimidating them.
About a dozen soldiers also arrived at the church at about 8:40 a.m.
At the church’s entrance, security agents have joined church security officials to conduct a thorough search of visitors and members of the congregation who wanted to go inside the auditorium ahead of service commencement at 9:00 a.m.
Both men and women were asked to leave all their belongings outside. Only mobile phones and the Holy Bible were allowed inside, PREMIUM TIMES observed.
Members of the congregation who decried the stringent measure as unnecessarily problematic.
“I have been attending this church since 2013 when we were still using the Thisday Dome in Jabi,” a female member said. “This is too much today.”
She, however, said the measure might be necessary to prevent Mr Fatoyinbo’s detractors from having their way.
“People have been trying to blackmail our pastor for a long time,” she told PREMIUM TIMES.
But two protesters interviewed by PREMIUM TIMES ahead of the protest said they were here to demand accountability from Mr Fatoyinbo, who has faced at least two separate allegations of misconduct since 2013.
I could have sworn that I heard Charly Boy's version of this song sometime between 1986 and 1989, but the Internet is telling me that it was released in 1990.
This song was originally done by the Funkees in the 1970s and it's no surprise that Charly Boy covered it (it's a Charly Boy kind of song).
naptu2: In the 1980s there were a lot of slogans in Nigeria about a magical year called 1990. The government promised "Shelter for all by 1990", "Food for all by 1990" and General Babangida said that he would hand over to a democratically elected civilian government in 1990. None of these promises came true. In 1988 Charly Boy sang this afro-beat song in response to these promises. He sang about how the government was out to trick Nigerians and how politicians were preparing to line their pockets.
This is the first song by Charly Boy that I ever heard. I heard it for the first time in 1986. I had a friend that absolutely loved this song. She sang it everyday and it was burned into my brain.
segun18: Bang! Too low for Zero..A one hit wonder group.My Older sister later use to call the Show 'Sunday Round of fools''. . Remembered the music of Alex Zitto and Alex O now.
naptu2: Too Low For Zero - Molue (Lagos City transport) (1986).
Beremx: Naptu2, thanks for this beautiful thread. Tina Onwudiwe was really a musical icon. I loved her music.
Am still trying to remember songs by Mustapha Amego. Is he late too? Was he the one that sang " molue -Lagos City transport "?
"Molue, Lagos City Transport" was by Too Low For Zero. I think that was in 1987.
Mustapha Amego was the host of Kessingsheen Hit Show/Sunday Rendezvous. His catch phrase was "Hit me". He later became the president of PMAN and when some people complained that he wasn't a musician, he released a song.
The song was a reggae song (like Molue, Lagos City Transport), but I can't remember its name.
Mustapha Amego died in the US in the 2000s, but I can't remember what killed him.
I remember seeing the Brazilian team use cryotherapy to recover after qualifying matches for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and I know that the Super Falcons use swimming sessions to recover after their games.
I wish I had the actual videos of these songs. I want the videos because I want people to see the clothes that they wore.
Tyna was also a fashion designer and she made all the clothes that were worn in her videos and she also made a lot of the clothes that were worn in Charly Boy's early videos.
Celebrities › Re: Christy-essien Igbokwe: Remembering "Nigeria's Lady Of Songs" (1960 -2011) by naptu2: 12:54pm On Jun 30, 2019
I wanted to tag you but I didn't know your moniker.
