00:00Before Thames, Yemi Aladei or Tewa Savage, there was one woman who proved that a Nigerian woman can own her
00:08stage.
00:09And yet, majority of us genesis don't even know her name.
00:12Meet Christy Essien Ibukwe, Nigeria's Lady of Songs.
00:16Born in 1916 in her choir album, life didn't exactly hand Christy an easy script.
00:21She lost her mom at a very early age and had to move away from home.
00:25But instead of letting the hardship get to her, she let the music do the talking.
00:29By the late 1970s, her voice was mainstream, was everywhere.
00:35Not just because she could sing, but because she sounded different.
00:40She blended high life, pop, traditional Nigerian sound into music people couldn't ignore.
00:46Then came Shewurewe.
00:47You know that song that...
00:49I don't know if you're a singer...
00:52I don't know if you're a singer...
00:56I don't know if you're a singer...
01:02Forgive me, I'm Gen Z too, so...
01:04I mean, excuse me.
01:05That wasn't just another hit.
01:06It became one of those songs that outlived its generation.
01:10Played at parties, played at family gatherings, even at many celebrations.
01:15Long after it was released, it didn't stop there.
01:17Other than the music, Christy had other things she was into, which made her such an icon.
01:22While dominating music, she was also acting in films, becoming one of Nigeria's earliest entertainers to successfully do books.
01:30Long before being a multi-hyphenate became trendy, she was already living it.
01:34But perhaps her biggest achievement wasn't a song.
01:37It was opening doors.
01:39At a time where female musicians faced huge barriers, Christy proved that women belong at the very top of Nigerian
01:48entertainment.
01:49Christy Esen Ibukwe sadly passed away in 2011.
01:54But every time a Nigerian woman achieved great things, both in music and entertainment scene,
02:00part of that story began from the woman history remembers as the Nigerian lady of songs.
02:06Christy Esen Ibukwe, a few years back, I think she did.
02:12Christy, she's the best.
02:17I'm impressed with what she's been doing so far.
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