These days, when people talk about Bobrisky or James Brown and the noise they make on social media, it’s easy to think that crossdressing started just a few years ago.
But did you know that decades before these names became popular, there was a man who defied gender norms in a way that shocked and fascinated Nigerians in the 1970s?His name was Uzoma Odimara, famously known as Area Scatter.
About Area Scatter
Uzoma Odimara was born in Imo State, South East Nigeria. Little is known about Area Scatter’s early life. He was reportedly a civil servant during the Nigerian Civil War. According to Wikipedia, “he disappeared into the woods, and the reasons for his disappearance remain elusive, adding an aura of intrigue to his narrative.”After his mysterious absence, he was said to have re-emerged with a striking transformation. He adopted a feminine appearance, braiding his hair, wearing makeup, and donning women’s attire. He claimed that during his time away, the gods had endowed him with supernatural powers, enhancing both his musical talent and femininity.Back then, Nigeria was still very conservative. Men were expected to dress and behave in a “masculine” way, and anyone who stepped outside those norms faced harsh criticism. But Area Scatter didn’t care. He walked the streets of Lagos with confidence, turning heads and stirring conversations wherever he went.Some Nigerians found him hilarious and loved his performances. Others were deeply offended, calling him names and even throwing things at him in public. But Area Scatter had thick skin, and he kept doing what he loved, no matter what people said.
How he became even more famous
Aside from his appearance, Area Scatter was a talented entertainer. He could sing, dance, and play a traditional thumb piano. And his voice? Smooth and rich. People gathered not just because of how he looked, but because he had stage presence. He had the confidence and charisma.Whether you understood him or not, you couldn’t ignore him. Even traditional rulers invited him to perform. Imagine a man in women’s clothes, shaking his waist in palace courtyards and cracking jokes in front of titled elders. That alone tells you how powerful his presence was. He had people talking, watching, and clapping.
Interestingly, despite the conservative culture, he wasn’t arrested or completely shunned. Instead, he became something of a local legend. People told stories about him, and his name became synonymous with outrageous fashion and fearless self-expression.
Media presence
In the late 1970s, Area Scatter got even more famous when he appeared on the popular TV show Ukonu’s Club, which aired on NTV (now known as the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA) channel 6. Back in the day, NTV was the hot TV programme everybody tuned into. And in the late 1970s, appearing on TV was no small feat.
TV was still black and white in many homes, and here was a man, dressed like a woman, boldly performing on national television.
Where is Area Scatter today? Well, nobody knows. As the years passed, his popularity faded, and he eventually disappeared from the public eye. Unlike modern celebrities, Area Scatter didn’t have social media to keep his fame alive.
Rumours claim he died in an auto crash, but nobody seems to know exactly when. Some say he died in the late 1980s or early 1990s, but there’s little confirmed information about this.
