Following the death of highlife music icon, Mike Ejeagha, his son Emmanuel Ejeagha has expressed both grief and a deep sense of injustice, lamenting that the legendary musician was never given the national recognition he deserved during his lifetime.
Speaking to Vanguard, he said, “I started praying to God to spare his life when it was obvious that he was going to die. I never wanted him to die despite his age.”
Mike Ejeagha, who passed away at an advanced age, was a pioneer of Igbo highlife music and an icon in African folklore preservation. For decades, he captivated audiences with his didactic storytelling, proverbs, and cultural wisdom embedded in music.
Emmanuel emphasized the lack of formal recognition from the Nigerian government, stating, “My late father deserved a national honour which was denied him during his lifetime. People whose songs cannot stand the test of time like his have been conferred with national honours.”
Beyond recognition, he is also calling for concrete steps to preserve Ejeagha’s legacy. “I want a research centre alongside the study of African folklore established in his honour in his country home in Enugu State,” he urged.
Fans and cultural advocates across the country have echoed similar sentiments, calling for the posthumous honoring of Ejeagha and the institutional preservation of his works. Many believe that his music not only entertained but also educated generations on Igbo values, proverbs, and ancestral wisdom.
Mike Ejeagha’s legacy, though under-recognized officially, remains indelible in Nigeria’s cultural history. His family and admirers now hope the government will immortalize him in a way that reflects the depth of his contributions to Nigerian music and African heritage.
