Stella Monye Shows Her Human Side
Another June 12 holiday beckons and it is usually a happy for singer and actress, Stella Monye who has been variously described as a humanist and as someone who has genuine love for people. With her rich experience in social service work, which virtually fell on my laps, she however stressed that she would have side-stepped it if she was not interested, in the first place. So, her 10-year familiarity with human right, civil society and social services work did not quite come on a platter of gold.
Working with a faith-based organization in Lagos, she went around some schools for the physically challenged. Even when there were other social service workers to serve the food, she took it upon herself to make sure that the food was properly served. It made a lot of impact because the children flocked around her. Because she is not always in the front, it may hard to believe that Stella was in the trenches with notable names in the recent history of Nigeria’s struggle for democracy. In that season of turbulence, she worked with the likes of Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Professor Wole Soyinka, Gov. Adams Oshiomole and Dr. Joe YinkaOdumakin. Those were the days of PRONACO. It was hard work, but it was also fun. Her hands were full with social activities. She was on call for all the road shows.
Stella’s milk of human kindness was particularly stirred when her son, Ibrahim needed and she had to make a passionate plea to Nigerians. Response to her prayer was not only overwhelming, it touched her so much that people could come to the aid of someone they hardly knew. From then on, she decided to give of herself to any public cause, even if it is inconvenient.
Not known to have any song that directly addresses social issues and human right issues, she took the assignment seriously. It was her lot to come up with songs about societal ills at such outings. She relied greatly on the repertoire of artistes like Bob Marley and Fela. One song that was requested everywhere she went was African China’s, “Mr. President”. She made sure that all the songs were relevant to the events. She taught her singers the songs so that they could sing together on the road show. The show provided her an opportunity to make a lot of people do what they never thought they’d be able to do in their wildest imagination. It has made these people become better individuals.
She is quick to point to the likes of Lucky Okri and Charity as her protégés who honed their craft in the course of her charity work. Apart from these two, she got up to 250 singers drawn from churches and the music department of schools, for instance, College of Education, Ijanikin-Lagos to form a mass choir. Stella was a regular face on NTA’s breakfast programme, AM Express for two quarters. She provided music through the platform of a foundation. The challenge about this assignment was that she had to come up with songs that addressed the topics in focus.
After using other people’s platform for a long time, an uncany circumstance led her to establish her own organisation called Women Health Initiative Nigeria. “It was inspired by a young girl who dumped her baby in front of my house. She was just 16, living with her uncle. He was always abusing her verbally and reminding her that she had a baby out of wedlock and that she didn’t have a job. She couldn’t take care of the baby. So she dumped the baby and ran away. We decided to take the baby to Little Saints Orphanage but then we needed to make enquiries as to who saw her dump the baby and where she stays. We had a lucky break. We traced her uncle and traced her too. We reconciled her with her baby and we gave her some clothes. We gave her some diapers for the baby. It inspired m. there are lots of girls out there with similar experience and they have no place to go because we have no social security in Nigeria. A lot of younger girls who saw what I did for the girl came to see me in the house to ask for one help or the other. They wanted jobs, some I would help to get jobs. Sometimes, I would give them perishables from my kitchen. I can give you foodstuff. I did a lot of that. I had a baby as a teenager myself. I just said this is one area I want to look into. One NGO for single girls has invited me to its board.”
In a clime where social work/ human rights work is considered very dangerous, stepping out on a campaign may be akin to putting one’s life on the line. She recalled an incident when hoodlums harassed them. “A hungry man is an angry man. You could see anger on these people’s faces.”
Pressed to name any of her songs that addresses social issues, she mentioned “Elenuwa” which is not as popular as her hit, ‘Oko Mi Ye’’. “The song says in the days of my father, things were easier but look at what the world has become. Life has gone haywire. That is a strong song. But now I am going into gospel. I believe that with God, everything is possible.”
In order to lift the women out of difficult circumstances, Stella taught them to learn a craft. Leading by example, she created men’s clothings with African fabrics under the name, Samba Wears.
Not one to take a back at crucial times, Stella campaigned vigorously for the emergence of the Delat State Governor-elect, Senator Okowa. “For the first time, governorship was zoned to my constituency. It was all hands on deck for me. To God be the glory, he won. I brought some music icons for the march to all the 25 local government areas to campaign for him. I took Ras Kimono, Orits Wiliki and Righteousman. Kimono was almost mobbed at every location that we arrived. It was a huge experience and it contributed a lot to the success story. We didn’t have security. Righteousman is huge and when people see him coming behind us, they would give way.
Stella supports the arguement that artistes should not end their relationship with politicians after the campaign. According to her, it is important to insist on a fulfilment of promises made to the people. apply themselves to political campaigns.
“We did that in Delta. We said that everything that the government promised, would be fulfill. If the governor fails, we would be the same people who would gather people to come and ask him why he has failed to live up to his promises and I think that is how it should be. People should not just focus on their own interests that ‘we have been paid me why should we care.’ Musicians should be on the side of the people not politicians. Those who take sides with politicians are taking the wrong approach.”
Now, a law student, Stella gave two reasons for going back to the classroom. “My late father wanted me to read law. The second reason is that I like the excitement of knowing my rights and knowing some things that could protect me. It is a combination of two things. I want to please my father. I also want to widen my own scope. I may not practise but at the end of the day, I would have had the knowledge and I will know how to make good use of it. “