Music and Gender Equality in Nigeria: Exploring the representation of women in the music industry
The Afrobeat Era and Gender Representation
Taking a fast trip back in time to the early days of the Nigerian music industry, the 1960s and 1970s saw the emergence and efflorescence of the Afrobeat sound, championed by the legendary Fela Kuti. Every man and woman in Nigeria who knows anything about music is familiar with this narrative of history. Often documented alongside the Afrobeat patriarch were his male colleagues, such as Orlando Julius, Segun Bucknor, Chief Osita Osadebe, Chris Okotie and so on.
The preservation of Nigeria’s musical history raises critical questions about women’s roles in Nigerian music, as well as their contributions and impact on the industry. And, if so, why are they not as noticeable as their male counterparts’? What role did the media play in this, or was it simply the outcome of a patriarchal society? Of the days when women weren’t allowed to drive a car as it was considered a masculine activity.
Notable Female Artists
Notable Nigerian Female musicians that contributed their craft, like the Lijadu Sisters, Sandra Izsadore, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, Mona Finnih, and Christy Ogbah, were crucial in the development of the Afrobeat genre and its evolution. However, the successes and waves made by female musicians in Nigeria’s music industry were usually overlooked or underreported in comparison to their male counterparts. In an article for British Vogue by Nigerian music journalist Makua Adimora, “The efforts of many of these women are lost to us mainly because recording and documentation of music back then was costly and the labels and individuals – local and foreign – with financial access to record these women and document their careers were simply uninterested. Nevertheless, despite the erasure, they paved the way for Nigerian female artists…”
The fragmental documentation of key female players in the Nigerian music industry since its inception is one of several factors that have contributed to women’s under-representation.
The Lijadu Sisters
Born in Ibadan, Colonial Nigeria, on October 22, 1948, the Lijadu Sisters were Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s identical twin cousins and prominent female vocalists from the early Afrobeat era in the mid-1960s before their retirement from the music scene in the 1980s. The legendary Nigerian duo were known for their unique harmonies blended Afrobeat with Jazz, Disco, Afro-pop, Soul, and politically themed song lyrics that addressed the political unrest in Nigeria. In 1972, they performed alongside Ginger Baker’s band Salt at the Munich Summer Olympics, with the New York Times describing the Lidaju sisters as “smiling free spirits.”
Dubbed Soul Sisters, their music was influenced by “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin and South African singer and civil rights activist Miriam Makeba. In 2006, Nas, an American rapper, sampled “Life’s Gone Down Low,” a song from the ‘Danger’ album, as “Life’s Gone Low” on his mixtape without recognising the duo. Sadly, in 2019, Kehinde of the Lijadu sisters passed away at 71, with the family having to set up a GoFundMe to raise money for her memorial service.
Sandra Izsadore
Popularly called “Queen Mother of Afrobeat,” Sandra Izsadore is a singer, musician, author, and activist who met Fela Kuti in California during a tour in 1969. Sandra, who was heavily affiliated with the Black Panther civil rights movement, influenced Fela and revitalized his music and political ideas, hence birthing the Afrobeat sound. She is the only featured lead vocalist on Fela’s music to date, having performed on the song ‘Upside Down’ in 1977. However, the story of women like Sandra Izsadore is only ever told as a phase in Fela Kuti’s life, music, career, and activism. Sandra featured in the 2009 Tony Award Broadway musical ‘Fela’ and in a chapter of Fela Kuti’s own Biography “Fela Fela This Bitch of a Life” written by Carlos Moore.
The Role of Media and Record Labels
It is the sacred obligation of the media to preserve history and the underreported accomplishments of Nigerian women with the same due diligence afforded their male counterparts. And in the last decade, all these have been slowly rectified by the collective effort of the media, record labels, and a significant increase in culture journalists who are keen on showcasing women and their craft.
In addition to the media’s influence—or lack thereof—record labels also have an impact on how women are portrayed in the music business. For instance, it is alarming to see how few female artists there are compared to male artists on the rosters of major record companies in Nigeria, which serves as more evidence that the issue of women’s under-representation in the early stages of the industry still exists. According to a Nelson C.J. article for Teen Vogue, finance and culture have an impact on how women are represented in the field. The label’s anxiety about having to spend more money on creating the stereotyped, socially acceptable, sexually attractive image while simultaneously attempting to produce music that aligns with the cultivated image. This is a process male artists aren’t necessarily subjected to.
For instance, since its founding, Mavins has only ever signed three female artists, whereas YBNL has signed one. Record labels have considerable influence over the kind of music that is accessible for consumption by listeners. And in some way, this has made fans’ subconsciously prejudiced towards the small number of female musicians in the business stronger. Even when female musicians are making new marks, there are many who believe that women lack the talent of their male counterparts.
The statement cited was from a post made on X (formerly known as Twitter) by one of Afrobeats contemporary leading artists, Ayra Starr. The post wasn’t an outburst; rather, it was a light-hearted response to a series of derogatory remarks about her physique made by trolls and cyberbullies. Nevertheless, the statement elicited more snide remarks—which, had they come from a male artist, would have been a ‘speak your truth moment.’ But this is the case despite Ayra Starr being the most streamed female musician in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda in 2023; hence, the humorous statement could not be more accurate. And this is only one of her numerous accomplishments. Her sophomore album ‘The Year I Turned 21’ received ratings of 8 from Clash, 9 from Pulse, 8 from The Native, and 7 from Pitchfork.
However, women like Oyinkansola “Foza” Fawehinmi, a lawyer and entertainment executive; Mavin Records’ Director of A&R Rima Tahini; Osagie Osarenz, Director of A&R/Operations (Africa) at ONErpm; Tosin Sorinola, Snr. Director Of Marketing & Operations, Africa Empire; and Journalist, Gracey Mae are making their way and holding executive positions, but they had to overcome the bias and barriers that once stood in their way.
This is positive in comparison to the early days of the Nigerian music industry, but more should be done to encourage healthy competition between women and their counterparts rather than restricting the music industry to a playing field contestable by only men.
