• 07 Jun, 2025
• FAITH MIMDOO KEGH
• No comment

Tributes Pour In for Late Highlife Legend Mike Ejeagha.

Nigerian cultural icon and highlife music legend

, Mike Ejeagha, has passed away at the age of 95. His eldest son, Emma Ejeagha, confirmed his death on Friday evening after a prolonged illness.

Born on April 4, 1930, in Imezi Owa, Enugu State, Ejeagha became a prominent figure in traditional Igbo music, known for blending folk storytelling with highlife rhythms. His career began in the 1960s and flourished by the 1980s, with hits such as Omekagu, Uwa Mgbede Ka Mma, and Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche.

Ejeagha’s music saw renewed popularity in 2024 after comedian and content creator Brain Jotter featured Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche in a viral dance video. The song reached #81 on Apple Music Nigeria, making Ejeagha the oldest Nigerian artist to appear on the chart. His 1983 album Akụkọ N’egwu Original Vol. 1 also entered Spotify Nigeria’s Top 100 Albums.

Former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi mourned the musician, describing his passing as “the end of an era.” He praised Ejeagha for using music to preserve Igbo culture and for his morally instructive lyrics filled with proverbs and wisdom.

Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi, also expressed his sorrow, calling Ejeagha a “legend and cultural ambassador.” He pledged the state’s support to the Ejeagha family and announced plans to honour his legacy.

On social media, many joined in the mourning. Cultural commentator Anafulogo remarked on Ejeagha’s dignified personality, noting that he was affectionately known as “Gentleman Mike.”

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar reflected on the musician’s late-career resurgence, thanking Brain Jotter for bringing Ejeagha’s music back to the spotlight. Brain Jotter himself paid tribute, saying, “He made magic 39 years ago, and today we still dance to it. Now he rests, but his melody lives on.”

Ejeagha’s passing marks the loss of a cultural treasure whose music bridged generations and preserved the essence of traditional Igbo values.

FAITH MIMDOO KEGH

Manager – Oversees the daily operations, editorial planning, and strategic direction of the platform. A graduate with a solid academic foundation in media and communication, Faith brings a wealth of experience to the TokinPoint.

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