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The Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has endorsed the return of Ann Uwa-Anthony, popularly known as Nurse Tonia, to the Nigerian music scene.
The endorsement was announced at the PMAN House in Lekki, Lagos where Nurse Tonia, a long-time registered member of the association, unveiled her latest musical project, Jesus Na Otokinado.
Her return comes after years away from active music, during which she pursued nursing and built a career in the United States.
According to Nurse Tonia, the decision to return was the fulfilment of a dream she had been unable to pursue fully when she first entered the industry.
Born into a musical family, Nurse Tonia at 15 moved to Lagos with her sibling, Ras Murphy Van Anthony after the death of their father in Benin, Edo State. Both siblings spent more than a year without a permanent home, as they searched for ways to survive in the city.
Music became part of the siblings’ survival. They performed at local shows and bars whenever the opportunities came, earning what they could while developing their craft. The activities eventually led to Nurse Tonia’s registration with PMAN in the 1990s. Looking back, she said financial limitations prevented her from taking the career further at the time.
“I would have done this project years back because we were born into music, but we didn’t have the backbone. Those days, you had to look for sponsors and stuff like that. But I came to Lagos when I was just 15, that was in the ‘90s,” the nurse said.
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Nurse Tonia later left the music scene to study nursing and eventually settled into a career in the United States. Music, however, remained part of her life. She continued writing and recording songs and now has about 30 songs.
According to the nurse, melodies sometimes come to her while she is working, prompting her to record them before developing the ideas later.
“It’s a gift. Sometimes I’ll be at my job, and the melody will come to me, I’ll excuse myself to my office and record it on my device, and from there more parts will come to me to form the body of the song, one part at a time, and that’s why I won’t let it go.”
Working as a nurse has also reinforced Tonia’s belief in the impact of music. She said she sometimes sings to patients during treatment and has seen the effect it has on their moods.
“I love what I am doing. I have empathy. To me, it’s all of it put together. I feel I won’t be fulfilled without offering something to the music industry,” she stated.
Nurse Tonia said her comeback is driven more by impact than immediate financial gain. She wants to create music that inspires people, teaches moral values and encourages listeners towards God.
“Jesus Na Otokinado draws from my experiences and the challenges I have overcome, while I’m also offering encouragement to people going through difficult periods,” she concluded.
