Music as therapy: young woman defies stereotypes to find her groove

It was a chilly night in November 2023, and Jalingo was alive again with the groovy rhythm from Star Exclusive Club, where Caleb Danjuma, popularly known as DJ Sparker, worked magic on his keyboard. Beside him was a young woman, who was interested in becoming a disc jockey. 

“That same night, we started rehearsals, and I noticed that the DJs who guided her before hadn’t done the right thing because she didn’t even get to learn the basics properly. So we started fresh again,” DJ Sparker recounted. 

For more than a week, DJ Sparker and his new female apprentice began rehearsing from the basics. Awed by her aptitude for learning, DJ Sparker continued with the lessons, observing her growing proficiency. 

“I will sometimes give her a space and keep a distance just to hear what she would be playing, and with time, I discovered that she is good to go,” DJ Sparker said.

The beginning

Mercy Kefas had a disturbing childhood experience that she hoped not to relive again. Growing up in Fikyu, a community in southern Taraba State, Kefas confronted what she labelled as spiritual attacks, which instilled a sense of doom and uncertainty in her. “My childhood was tough. I fought spiritual demons for more than a decade,” she narrated. 

Thanks to her mother’s prayers, Kefas would later find healing. Her mother’s words of prayer, Kefas admitted, mended the wounds engraved on her heart.

“My mother tried a lot. She prayed for me to heal from the spiritual attacks while giving me all the needed emotional support. She also encouraged me to be strong. So, I followed her words to see light,” Kefas expressed.

Around this time, she developed an interest in music, listening to popular Nigerian singers like Simi and Tiwa Savage, including the gospel artist Solomon. 

As Kefas described, playing her favorite music was akin to casting a seductive spell on her, at which point she could pardon anyone who had offended her.

Such was the passion that spurred her into becoming a DJ within a strait-laced community that equates indecency with DJing. In 2020, she learned how to operate the DJ instrumentals in Wukari. Without a tutor, Kefas’ practice was rough.

In Wukari, Kefas approached a male DJ. Upon discovering her interest in learning the skill, the DJ dismissed the idea of teaching her because she is a female.

“I told him that I had a passion. If he wants to guide me, he should let me know. But he wasn’t stable. He’s doubting me as a female and feels I can not fit in. I took it seriously, but he didn’t. So I let him be,” Kefas narrated.

Things changed for good

After Kefas moved to Jalingo, she met another DJ whose method of play fascinated her. Although she joined him to hone her rough skill, she never got the chance to play professionally. More often than not, she rehearsed on her own after retiring home. Then, she met DJ Sparker in November 2023, and that encounter became her road to Damascus.

In the weeks that followed, Kefas learned the rudiments of mixing sounds and sampling songs. She was soon playing at occasions without guidance. “A few people were impressed by my work. Some would even reach out to me, expressing their shock,” Kefas said.

When DJ Sparker received a gig for a wedding event, he disclosed to the client that his apprentice would stand in for him instead. The client, upon learning that the apprentice was female, declined. DJ Sparker eventually convinced him in the end.

“So she went ahead and did well. She was paid N60,000. And all the money was hers alone. After that event, I decided to push her to do more. I see lots of potential in her,” DJ Sparker explained.

Before she hopped on the train, Kefas perceived male DJs as wayward. While her perception has since changed, she is awash with insults and unsolicited advice from people who consider being a DJ unsuitable for a female. 

When Kefa’s mother first heard about her daughter’s stint as a disc jockey, she voiced her displeasure, reinforcing the widespread perception of indecency and immorality in the entertainment space. But Kefas dared to school her mother about her profession. “I told her it was the DJ’s work I was doing, not prostitution. I don’t collect money from people to sleep with them. I only do my work and get paid.” 

Since the 23-year-old pledged not to let go of the good parenting she was brought up with, the mother gave her blessings.

DJ Sparker admitted that despite the community and some people around her not being satisfied with her doing the work, he still encouraged her to be resilient. As for him, he is already used to such stereotypes, even as a male DJ. “People around here see DJs as womanizers. I’m glad to be her boss. And I told her that in the next 5 years, I would love to see her playing on big platforms,” he said.

DJ Sparker, on the other hand, advised young women to stop being lazy and venture into businesses or learn skills that will help them generate a sustainable income. He also shared with Prime Progress that he is willing to mentor other females like Kefas across Taraba communities, who have genuine passion for the work. “I may not be perfect, but the little I know, I’m willing to share with them. We rise by lifting others,” he stated.

Yet Kefas is hardly an isolated example of women breaking stereotypes. From an ambitious young Muslim woman succeeding as an MC to a female barber breaking stereotypes with her clipper, Prime Progress has extensively covered how women are defying decades-old expectations with their exceptional skills and unwavering confidence, paving the way for a more inclusive future.

Looking forward, Kefas hopes to achieve some of her big dreams and she believes being a DJ is just a stepping-stone to greatness. She said, “I see myself going places.”