Nigeria’s music and cultural landscape was thrown into mourning on Friday, June 6, 2025, as news broke of the passing of the legendary highlife musician and folklorist, Mike Ejeagha. Popularly known as “Gentleman Mike Ejeagha,” a revered icon who died at the age of 95, following a prolonged illness.
Ejeagha passed away at exactly 8:00 p.m. at the 32 Garrison Military Hospital, Abakaliki Road, Enugu, according to a statement released exclusively to Nwafo Media by his eldest son, Emmanuel Ejeagha.
The statement confirmed that the late music maestro was laid to rest on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in accordance with his long-standing instruction not to be placed in a mortuary.
“I wish to inform you about the passing of my father, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha, on June 6, 2025, 8 p.m. dot at the military hospital, 82 Division, Abakaliki Road, Enugu. He was laid to rest on Saturday, June 7, 2025. This was in obedience to his earlier passionate appeal not to keep him in the mortuary.” Emmanuel Ejeagha wrote.
A Cultural Luminary
Born on April 4, 1930, in Imezi Owa, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Ejeagha’s influence on Igbo highlife and folk music spanned over six decades. Known for his signature deep storytelling lyrics, richly woven proverbs, and mellow guitar accompaniments, his songs were both entertaining and educational—earning him the moniker “Gentleman.”
Ejeagha’s rise to musical prominence began in the 1940s after he joined the Coal Camp Boys in Enugu. By 1950, he was already playing guitar for Joseph Ogbu’s band, and later got his own radio program Guitar Playtime on the Nigerian Broadcasting Service.
Even the ravages of the Biafran War could not silence his art; while he disbanded his music group, he continued hosting Igbo Play on Radio Nigeria, preserving the oral traditions of the Igbo people through music.
Legacy of Sound and Substance
Ejeagha’s discography is a treasure trove of cultural wisdom, with over 300 recordings contributed to the National Archives of Nigeria. Songs like Omekagu, Uwa Mgbede Ka Mma, Mgba Enwude, and Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche became folk anthems across the eastern region of Nigeria and beyond.
In 1972, he made history again with the NTA Igbo-language program Akuko Na Egwu, which gave birth to the now-popular Igbo phrase, “Akuko Mike Ejeagha” used to describe captivating storytelling.
His work inspired a new generation of artists, including pop singer Kcee, who in 2018 sought his permission to sample some of his classics.
Most recently, in 2024, his 1983 hit Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche went viral on social media after comedian Brain Jotter launched a dance challenge that captivated youth across Nigeria.
In recognition of his enduring impact, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah renamed Abakpa Road to “Mike Ejeagha Road” in September 2024—a symbolic tribute to the man who immortalized Igbo culture through rhythm and rhyme.
A Gentleman’s Final Bow
Though his later years were marked by health struggles and a brief legal battle with his record label, Premier Records, Ejeagha remained a towering figure in the music industry. The 2013 court dispute was amicably resolved with the intervention of the Enugu State Government.
His personal life was as rich as his musical career. Married twice, he fathered ten children—three from his first wife (who passed away in 1963), and seven with his second.
The family has requested privacy at this time and promises to release details of a public funeral ceremony in due course.
A Cultural Pillar Remembered
Mike Ejeagha’s death marks the end of an era. He was not just a musician but a living archive of Igbo tradition, whose music taught, advised, entertained, and consoled.
As tributes pour in from across the country and diaspora, one thing remains clear: Gentleman Mike Ejeagha may have bowed out, but his voice will continue to echo through his music—reminding us of who we are, where we come from, and what we must never forget.
May his soul rest in peace.
Nzubechukwu Eze
