Nigerian highlife legend and folklorist, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha, has passed away at the age of 95.
He reportedly died on Friday evening, June 6, 2025, at a hospital in Enugu, after battling a prolonged illness.
Born on April 4, 1930, in Imezi Owa, Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State, Ejeagha rose to national prominence in the mid-20th century with his unique fusion of highlife music, traditional Igbo folklore, and proverbs.
His songs were not only melodious but often served as moral lessons, making him a household name across the southeastern region and beyond.
Some of his most iconic tracks include Omekagu, Uwa Mgbede Ka Mma, and the classic Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche.
His musical storytelling and fingerstyle guitar technique set him apart from his peers and earned him widespread acclaim as a cultural custodian.
Ejeagha’s influence extended well beyond his active years. In 2024, his 1983 track Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche gained renewed popularity after it sparked a viral dance trend on social media, introducing his timeless sound to a new generation of music lovers.
Over the decades, he recorded more than 300 songs, many of which have been preserved in the National Archives of Nigeria, ensu koring that his legacy in promoting and preserving Igbo oral tradition will live on.
Mike Ejeagha’s death marks the end of an era in Nigerian music, but his voice, wisdom, and cultural impact will continue to echo through his works for generations to come.
