‘Mother Africa’ by the Lijadu Sisters

The Lijadu Sisters were a musical group comprised of twin sisters Yeye Taiwo and Kehinde Lijadu. The pair were known as an empowering voice which spoke on issues and isms of feminism, society, and culture. The band rose to prominence in the 1970s when it was difficult to do so as women artists; usually female voices were constrained to backup vocals. Writing/leading was not common practice.  On ‘Mother Africa’, the Lijadu Sisters stylized songs from traditional Yoruba folk music (apart from“Iya Mi Jowo”, which is an original).  “Iya Mi Jowo” is a true story about a daughter who wonders why her mother is angry with her – a prime example of the Lijadu sisters taking a domestic female experience and creating a piece for other women to connect to via music and artistry.  The album cover in itself shows many figures, many of them female, engaging with one another on the African continent, reflecting the music's themes of community and interactivity.