Veteran highlife legend Mike Ejeagha dies at 95

Nigeria’s highlife music industry and the cultural community are in mourning following the passing of veteran highlife musician and Igbo folk icon, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha.

The revered musician died on Friday evening at the 32 Garrison Hospital in Enugu at the age of 95, after a prolonged illness.

His death was confirmed on Saturday by his eldest son, Emma Ejeagha, who told reporters in Enugu, “My father passed away due to a long-standing ailment.”

Born on April 4, 1930, in Imezi Owa, Enugu State, Mike Ejeagha was a trailblazer whose music preserved and promoted Igbo proverbs, values, and storytelling through highlife tunes that captivated generations. Rising to prominence between the 1960s and 1980s, his classic hits such as Omekagu, Uwa Mgbede Ka Mma, and Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche (Gwogwogwongwo) became timeless staples in homes across eastern Nigeria and beyond.

Beyond entertainment, Ejeagha’s songs were cultural vessels, laced with wisdom and moral lessons drawn from Igbo tradition. Over a career that spanned six decades, he recorded over 300 songs, many of which are now archived at the National Archives of Nigeria for their cultural significance.

His influence enjoyed a fresh revival in 2024 when skitmaker Brain Jotter’s viral social media dance challenge resurrected his 1983 hit Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche, introducing his music to a new, younger audience.

Recognising his immense contribution to the cultural identity of Enugu and Nigeria, the Enugu State Government in September 2024 renamed a major road in Abakpa Nike as Mike Ejeagha Crescent. Governor Peter Mbah, who personally visited Ejeagha at his home, also commissioned four new roads at the time — with one, Obinagu Road, leading to the highlife maestro’s residence.

Describing Ejeagha as one of the legends who made Enugu a cultural epicentre, Governor Mbah said, “We have always told people that Enugu State is the home of legends. It is not just sporting legends, we also have music icons, and Mike Ejeagha is one man who, through his folk songs, brought memories of years gone by to our doorsteps. He reminds us of our golden heritage as a people.”

Ejeagha is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and a generation of fans who continue to celebrate his music and the values it embodies.