In the quiet of Friday, June 6, 2025, Nigeria lost not just a musician but a living archive — a voice that carried the wisdom of generations. Highlife legend and folklorist Mike Ejeagha passed away at the age of 95, leaving behind a legacy woven into the fabric of the nation’s cultural identity.
The Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musawa, has joined millions of Nigerians in mourning the loss of a man she described as “a treasure trove of cultural heritage and musical genius.”
Senior Adviser, Media & Publicity Dr. Nneka Ikem Anibeze in a statement quoted her thus,
“Mike Ejeagha did not just make music — he documented our stories, preserved our proverbs, and immortalized our truths. He was a nation’s memory set to melody,” the Minister said.
For over six decades, Ejeagha gave voice to the Igbo soul through highlife melodies laced with ancestral wisdom. His transformation of oral tradition into song created an education system of its own — one where language, history, and morality danced on the strings of his guitar.
With over 300 recordings now housed in the National Archives of Nigeria, his body of work remains one of the most significant musical contributions to Nigerian cultural preservation.
“His music was not just entertainment; it was enlightenment. In an age of fast-fading traditions, Ejeagha stood tall as a guardian of heritage,” Musawa noted.
The Ministry called on Nigerians to honour his memory by engaging with, promoting, and preserving indigenous music, languages, and traditions.
As a new generation seeks identity in a rapidly changing world, Ejeagha’s work reminds us of who we are — and who we must never forget to be.
May his melodies echo through time. May his spirit rest in peace.
