Mike Ejeagha: The gentleman who made music from folklore

A legendary musician, Mike Ejeagha, who died recently at the age of 95 and was buried 24 hours after his demise, was known by the stage name, Gentleman.  He was also known for his unique storytelling or folklore-based highlife music, which resonates with both the old and the young. His son, Emmanuel Ejeagha, announced that […]

A legendary musician, Mike Ejeagha, who died recently at the age of 95 and was buried 24 hours after his demise, was known by the stage name, Gentleman.  He was also known for his unique storytelling or folklore-based highlife music, which resonates with both the old and the young.

His son, Emmanuel Ejeagha, announced that the legendary musician requested that he be committed to earth within 24 hours after death to prevent his embalment in a mortuary.

Nigerians of all walks of life took out time to pay tribute to the legendary folklore musician.

During the peak of his career in the 1970s and 1980s, Gentleman Ejeagha produced several hits in Igbo language that are full of proverbs, wisdom and life lessons. Among these are Ke Esi Le Onye Isi Oche, Anyi Ga Achi, Onye Ndidi N’eli Azu Ukpo, Udo Ka Nma, Uwa Ngbede Ka Mma, Obiako Nwan Omenani, Onye Nwe Ona Ebe, Nzoji Nku, Onye Ori Utaba.

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A few months before his demise, a popular comedian, Brain Jotter, revived the song ‘Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche’, which had the tune, ‘Gwo Gwo Ngwo’, as a social media hit. The song trended for a long time and made the home of the musician in Enugu a Mecca of sorts as different individuals in government, religious bodies, entertainers and others visited and donated gifts to the legend.

The song teaches a lesson on how the wisdom of a tortoise overcame the size and strength of the elephant. Both animals, which were candidates for the hand of the king’s daughter in marriage, were made to produce a live elephant for the king. Through tact and wisdom, the tortoise tricked the elephant on tethers to the palace by assuring it of the chairmanship position.

Ejeagha was born on April 4, 1930 at the Umuagba, Imezi-Owa in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State. He attended St Patrick’s Primary School, Ogbete, Enugu.  As a young boy, he played ogene in the streets and later joined the Coal Camp Boys, a local music group in Enugu. After completing his primary education in 1948, he continued to pursue his passion for music. At the age of 20 in 1949, he became an apprentice in hairdressing and learnt some musical instruments such as the guitar, which became his favourite instrument, with his friend, Cyprain Ozochiawa at the age of 20. He later joined the Joseph Ogbu band as a guitarist in 1950.

His musical prowess grew in the 1950s. He played for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service, where he anchored the Guitar Playtime programme and performed different songs. In the course of this, he formed his musical band, known as the Premier Dance Band, with which he performed nationwide.

The Nigerian civil war disrupted his music career as he was forced to leave Enugu for Umuahia.  After that, he was invited by the Nigerian Television Authority as a guest presenter for an Igbo programme, ‘Akuko N’Egwu in 1972. His dexterous performances of the folksongs he composed with his group led to the Igbo slang “Akuko Mike Ejeagha,” used to depict long narratives.