Nigeria’s Highlife legend, Mike Ejeagha, fondly called ‘Gentleman Mike Ejeagha’ has died at the age of 95, following a protracted illness according to his family.
Ejeagha’s eldest son, Emmanuel, disclosed the passing of the Enugu-born musician on Friday night to entertainment journalists early Saturday morning.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“My father passed away due to a long-standing ailment,” a sobering Emmanuel revealed.
According to the information provided by the don on behalf of the Ejeagha’ family, the late musician died at the 32 Garrison Hospital in Enugu after the prolonged illness.
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Ejeagha’s evergreen songs were distinctive and was rooted in Igbo folklore across many generations.
Some of his hit songs that resonated include: Uwa Mbgede Ka Mma, Omekagu and Ks Esi Le Onye Isi Oche (Gwo gwo gwon gwo), the latter which was a 1983 hit song that became a sensation.
Ejeagha was born on 4 April 1930 in Imezi Owa, Enugu State, the nonegerian held sway in an era that produced other legendary highlife musicians like Paulson Kalu, Morocco Maduka, Osita Osadebe, Oliver de Coque and Moddy Ibe to name a few.
Ejeagha married his first wife in 1959, having three children before her death in 1963. He remarried in 1965 and had seven more children, who are all now married as revealed in his biography.
Prime Business Africa commiserates with the Ejeagha family over the demise of their patriarch.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.