BY THE ALIMOCHE TEAM
18 july 2023
Hailing from the musical treasure box that is Nigeria, Egedege Dance and music is a staple of Igbo culture, uniting the physical and the spiritual realms through performance and synchronicity. Traceable to Eastern Nigeria, this incredible Igbo tradition originated as a moonlit ritual, wherein young people of Unubi in Anambra State would perform the dance.
Queen Theresa Onuorah has since transformed this ritual of connection and family ties into a transfixing form of song, dance and costume, collaborating recently with modern artists including Phyno and Larry Gaaga, with songs including “Egedege” charting high on the Nigerian billboards, bringing indigenous Nigerian culture into the mainstream and becoming more accessible to the newer generations of both Nigerian and international youth. These carefully constructed collaborative efforts highlight Queen Theresa’s dedication in preserving traditional Igbo culture and heritage through music and dance, inspiring and reviving generational passion for artistry.
Queen Theresa Onuorah is a cultural legend worldwide, a highlife heroine.
Source: Queen Theresa Onuorah Facebook page.
As leader of the dance troupe also known as “Egedege”, Queen Theresa’s legacy is cemented in Nigerian history through her immaculate performances. Clothed in ivory and scarlet, adorned with brass beading and embellishments in popular music videos, notably “Ojamba Enwilo”, Queen Theresa’s uniquely regal style permeates into modern Afrobeats music through its distinctively indigenous edge. By incorporating customary instruments, including the Oja flute, it is clear this artist seamlessly marries old and new; respecting and honouring ancestral ties whilst simultaneously modernising ancient dance styles into an act of defiance. Such commitment to roots is a deep source of pride for many Nigerians, and efforts to preserve such precious culture is not unappreciated, with Egedege gaining a cult following at weddings, baptisms and graduations, but also in the day to day lifestyles of many Nigerians, empowering Igbo youth and creatives to also embrace their heritage.
The highlife heroine from Igbo roots, Queen Theresa is more than a singer, performer and artiste. One may define her as a sorceress of soundscapes, and the Oja flute resounding in Egedege music serves as a musical mouthpiece for spirituality in Igbo culture. Known as a “talking flute”, Queen Theresa is not merely whispering to join her dance, but instead her powerful call to battle, to ancestor worship, reverberates through the listener’s soul. A source of joy and a source of ancestral wisdom, Queen Theresa’s refusal to surrender to Western or Orientalist tainting of Nigerian, specifically Igbo culture, is a refreshing take on rite and religion, of physical, digital and lineal forms of communication. With artists like Kcee using the Oja flute as the key instrument in his aptly named 2023 track “Ojapiano” as a form of protest against police brutality, it is evident Queen Theresa’s use of the Oja as a method of protest has become a source of innovation for Nigerian artists, through using traditional instruments to resist Westernisation and the loss of culture, perfusing through to contemporary Nigerian music as a form of resistance against disproportionately violent police brutality and the #EndSARS movement erupting throughout the nation.
Queen Theresa's music is a symbol of resistance through art, inspiring Nigerians and the wider Nigerian diaspora.
Source: Queen Theresa Onuorah on Shazam.
It is therefore arguable that Queen Theresa is not merely an Igbo performer, but the heart and soul of the Nigerian protest movement gripping the nation. Through her dedication to honouring the ancestors and resisting modern neocolonialism by blending modern music and production techniques with time-honoured instruments, influencing both artists like Kcee, but also the #EndSARS movement. Queen Theresa is the original pioneer of Nigerian protest art, and her musical legacy is one of great beauty but also great bravery.
Alimoche Magazine stands in solidarity with the families of those killed for protesting in Nigeria, and worldwide.
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