Mike Ejeagha

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Mike Ejeagha (listen^ⓘ; born 4 April 1930) is a Nigerian folklorist, songwriter, and musician from Enugu State. He hails from Imezi Owa in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State. He grew up in Coal Camp in a family headed by his civil servant father, then working with Ministry of Health Enugu. He attended St. Patrick's Primary School, Ogbete Enugu.^[1]

Ejeagha started his career in music in the mid-20th century. Also known as Gentleman Mike Ejeagha, he has been influential in the evolution of music in the Igbo language for over 6 decades. His first hit was in 1960 – the year of Nigeria's independence.

Mike Ejeagha hails from Imezi Owa, Ezeagu, local government of Enugu State. He was born in 1930 in Enugu, Nigeria. His passion for music started at a young age when he played the Ogene with his friend.^[2] In 1945, he joined the renowned Coal Camp Boys, a local music group. After completing his elementary education in 1948, he continued to pursue his passion for music. During the Christmas celebrations, his music would engage in friendly completion with other prominent groups, including the Ogui Group and Dodokido Group.

In 1949, he began apprenticing with a barber and musician friend Cyprain Ozochiawa at the age of 20, to learn the art of barbing. During his apprenticeship, he also learnt how to play the guitar in his spare time from Cyprain Ozochiawa and Moscow.^[2] Ejeagha has always been interested in music and was a chorister. He followed musicians around anytime he saw them performing.^[1]

1950 proved to be a breakthrough year when he was called by Joseph Ogbu to join his band as a guitarist, which he received payment for at end of each performance.^[2] This opportunity did not only hone his musical skill but also enabled him to acquire his own musical instruments, ultimately inspiring him to start his own band known as Mike Ejeagha and the Merrymaker. His talent soon caught the attention of the Atu Ona, controller of the Nigerian Broadcasting Service, who extended an invitation for an audition. Impressed by his skill, Atu Ona offered him a radio program titled 'Guitar Playtime'. This marked the beginning of his broadcasting career, as he began performing on radio and producing engaging musical programs. Also during this time he formed a bigger music group called Premier Dance Band.^[3]

During the Biafran war, he disbanded his music group but continued to share his talent on a radio program known as "Igbo paly", aired by Radio Nigeria. To escape the war, he left Enugu to Umuahia, where he remained till the end of the war. Before the outbreak of the war, Ejeagha had already released several singles in collaboration with CT Onyekwelu of Niger phone records, including: The unfortunate lady (1957), c0lliery massacre (1959) and Ofu nwanne (1959).^[1]

After, the Biafran Civil War, Ejeagha was invited by Nigerian Television Authority as a guest presenter for an Igbo program 'akuko N egwu' in 1972, which soon gained him widespread fame. The show featured folksong lyrically composed by Ejeagha and his group. The program's success increased Ejeagha's notability and gave rise to the iconic Igbo expression 'Akuko Mike Ejeagha', cementing his legacy in Nigerian entertainment.^[1]

Ejeagha married his first wife in 1959, having three children before her untimely passing in 1963. He remarried in 1965 and had seven more children, who are all now married.^[1]

Ejeagha is a distinct story-teller accompanied by guitar style and his lyrics laced with proverbs, lending his music a didactic style. He writes his own music and his lyrics are in Igbo language. Ejeagha said in 2004: "Life at old age is quite enjoyable, especially when the Almighty God gives you good health".^[4]

Ejeagha has contributed over three hundred recordings to the National Archives of Nigeria produced during his field work to investigate Igbo folklore highlife music.^[5]

In 2018, he was visited by Kcee who came to pay his respect to him and also to seek his consent to use some his songs like "Ome ka agu" and "Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche" in his 2021 cultural vibes album.^[6]

On 12 September 2022, it was reported by Pulse Nigeria that a documentary film on his life titled "Gentleman" is under production. The film is directed by Michael Chineme Ike.^[7]

In July 2024, "Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche", a song which was released in 1983 as part of his album Akuko N'Egwu Vol. 1, gained widespread recognition due to a viral dance challenge inspired by comedian Brain Jotter.^[8]

On September 2, 2024, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah visited Ejeagha at his resident in Enugu, and during the inauguration of the newly constructed roads, he renamed the Abakpa Road after Gentleman Mike Ejeagha.^[9]

Ejeagha had a court case which was finalised in 2013 with his record label Premier Records, as a result of producing a music video without the labels approval. The case was withdrawn when Enugu State Government intervened in the matter.^[10]

• Akanchawa
• Uwa Ngbede Ka Mma
• Elulube Lube
• Ezi Nwa Mgbeke.
• Enyi Ga Achi.
• Onye Uri Utaba.
• Ife Nji M’Ogo
• Atualu Omalu
• Ebini New Ude
• Mgba Enwude
• Udeze nwa nnem
• O di ka adi eme,
• Udo ka nma
• Ome ka agu
• Elulubelube
• Makojo
• Anene otulukpa
• Onye nwee o na-ebe onye enwero o na- ebe

^[11]