Mona Finnih stands as a trailblazer in Nigeria's music scene, renowned as one of the nation's first female bandleaders. In 1969, she founded The Sunflowers, blending soul, jazz, funk, and traditional Nigerian rhythms into a distinctive Afrofunk sound. The band toured extensively throughout the 1970s, with Finnih writing the music, booking the performances, and producing the shows. ([archivi.ng](https://archivi.ng/the-archivist/stories/issue-4/nigerian-creators-history/mona-finnih?utm_source=openai)) In 1974, she contributed vocals to Malaku Daku's landmark funk album, "Love Drums from the Ghetto." Throughout the 1980s, she continued to push her sound, recording three albums with guitarist Jimi Lee that reflected both her versatility and her lasting influence across West African music. ([faroutmagazine.co.uk](https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/mona-finnih-progentior-of-afrofunk/?utm_source=openai))