Christiana 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 Nu Na Ula," "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 chairperson and managing director of Soul Train Entertainment.
She sang in Igbo, Ibibio, Efik, Hausa, Yoruba, and English. Her native language is Ibibio.
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.
Christy began her musical career in secondary school, singing at clubs such as Unikoko in Aba. She appeared as a regular on the NTA Aba variety shows Now Sound and Ukaonu's Club. In 1976, she joined the cast of The New Masquerade as Akpenor, the wife of the cantankerous character Jegede Sokoya (Claude Eke). She released her debut album (Freedom) the following year. Essien's most successful album was 1981's Ever Liked My Person? (produced by Lemmy Jackson).