IWD profiles: Claudia Lubao
International Women’s Day 2024 – #InspireInclusion
International Women’s Day is an opportunity to champion the power of women’s voices and drive positive change.
We spoke to women across the the University who all have one thing in common – an unwavering pursuit of equality. We asked them why they thought it was important to mark IWD, who inspires them and what they love about being a woman.
Claudia Lubao, third-year PhD student, Schools of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Geography and Sustainability, and Music
(Claudia, also known as Chemical, is a well-established female rapper in Tanzania, recognised as the recipient of the Best Female Hip-Hop Musician award at the Tanzania Music Awards (TMA2021). Claudia has over 750k followers on Instagram and over 100k subscribers on YouTube.
Is there a woman who has inspired you personally or professionally?
Personally, I would say my grandmother has been a significant inspiration to me. When I was young, she took care of both me and my mom while my mom was bedridden. My grandmother managed everything, from tending to the farm, doing our laundry, cleaning the house, and looking after the livestock, to providing financial support and caring for my uncles and aunties. She ensured that meals were ready when I returned from school.
Despite not having much time to spend with my mother, my grandmother treated me as her own child. I never felt like I missed my mom because of her presence; she was my mother figure and continues to be. Even now, in her old age, I still consider her the strongest woman I have ever known. Looking back, I am in awe of how she managed to handle everything on her own.
What did you want to be when you were young?
When I was younger, I wanted to become a pilot more than anything else. I was inspired by my late father, who was also a pilot, but he passed away when I was only a few months old. I only had two photos of him, wearing his pilot uniform and standing next to a helicopter. Everyone used to tell me how much I resembled my dad. I grew deeply attached to him and his profession, especially because those who knew him always spoke highly of him, which fueled my desire to follow in his footsteps.
I recall being advised at school and home that to become a pilot, I needed to excel in Geography, Physics and Mathematics. I was dedicated and performed well in these subjects until I reached secondary school, where my passion for music emerged, bringing new dreams.
However, I still held onto the goal of continuing my father’s legacy, even if through a different career path. Today, I am a well-established female rapper in Tanzania, pursuing a PhD, which is not the conventional path for a musician. I am widely known as Chemical (Instagram @chemical_tz), and my fans affectionately refer to me as #MwanaWaLubao, a name I have popularised to signify Lubao’s daughter, honouring my father’s memory.
What do you love about being a woman?
Speaking from a context where male domination is still prevalent, I find immense pride in being a woman. Despite facing significant hurdles, I am proud that as a woman, I can achieve what men can with double the effort. In a society where women are often underestimated, it’s challenging to excel professionally. There’s an inherent expectation for women to maintain a certain status quo, and surpassing it requires overcoming numerous obstacles to prove our capabilities. However, once we demonstrate our worth, we become not just equal but unique and extraordinary.
There’s a popular saying, “When you empower a woman, you empower the whole world,” highlighting the exceptional nature of being a woman.