Meet Julie Coker, a Nigerian TV journalist and broadcaster born in 1939. Her father was Yoruba from Abeokuta, and her mother was Itsekiri from Warri. She grew up in Lagos with her mother and stepfather.
Coker attended St. Mary’s Convent Primary School and Holy Child College, where she developed her passion for music and performance arts. In 1957, she represented her school in a festival of arts, which was featured in the Daily Times newspaper.
After completing her secondary education, Coker taught at a convent school in Warri. She also won the 1958 Miss Western Nigeria competition and was a runner-up in the Miss Nigeria contest.
Coker’s broadcasting career began in 1959 when she joined Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) as a receptionist. She later replaced Anike Agbaje-Williams as a television announcer, becoming one of Nigeria’s earliest and most recognizable TV broadcasters.
Beyond TV, Coker recorded three albums with EMI Music Nigeria and appeared in the film Dinner with the Devil. She’s indeed a pioneer in Nigeria’s entertainment industry
