Popular Nigerian highlife musician, Mike Ejeagha, has died after a prolonged illness.
His first son, Emmanuel Ejeagha, confirmed to newsmen on Saturday.
According to him, his father popularly known as “Gentleman Mike Ejeagha,” passed away on Friday night.
He said Ejeagha died on Friday evening about 8 p.m. at the 32 Garrison Military Hospital in Enugu after a prolonged illness.
“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.
His recent resurgence in popularity, sparked by the viral dance challenge of his 1983 track Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche in 2024, introduced his music to a younger audience.
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.
