After reaping a resurrected stardom, veteran Nigerian highlife musician, Mike Ejeagha, has died at the age of 95.
He passed on after a prolonged illness, his first son, Emmanuel Ejeagha, has confirmed to newsmen on Saturday.
A skit maker, Brain Jotter, had ignited his resurgence in popularity, sparked by the viral dance challenge of his 1983 track Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche in 2024, which the comedian introduced to his music a younger audience online.
According to him, his father, popularly known as “Gentleman, Mike Ejeagha,” passed to the great beyond on Friday night.
He said Ejeagha died at about 8 p.m. at the 32 Garrison Military Hospital, Enugu.
“My father passed away due to a long-standing ailment,” he said.
Ejeagha’s legacy is marked by his distinctive style of Igbo folk music, which resonated across multiple generations.
Born on April 4, 1930, in Imezi Owa, in Ezeagu Council Area of Enugu State, Ejeagha rose to prominence during the 1960s and 1980s with timeless hits like Omekagu, Uwa Mgbede Ka Mma, and Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche – Gwogwogwom.
Ejeagha’s contributions to preserving and promoting Igbo culture through music are monumental, with over 300 recordings archived in the National Archives of Nigeria.
Ejeagha’s passing marks the end of an era for Nigerian highlife music, but his legacy endures through his extensive discography and the impact he left on Igbo folklore and music.
