Renowned Highlife legend, Mike Ejeagha, known for transforming Igbo folklore and proverbs into captivating music, has passed away at the age of 95.

Ejeagha died on Friday night, June 6, 2025, at about 8pm at the 32 Garrison Hospital in Enugu, following a prolonged illness.

Mike Ejeagha was a dominant voice on Nigerian airwaves in the 1980s with his unique style of Igbo folk music that resonated across generations.

The veteran musician became an internet sensation in July 2024 after content creator, Brain Jotter, used his song for a dance challenge. The dance routine involves a series of lively steps between 2 people including facing opposite directions, walking towards each other, performing a comical leg dance, and finally, chasing each other to the catchy chorus of “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo”.

Ejeagha saw his song, which tells the story of a cunning tortoise outsmarting an elephant, resonate with a new generation, bringing renewed attention to Nigerian folklore and Igbo culture.

In September 2024, Enugu state governor, Peter Mbah, visited the singer, renamed the street leading to his house after him and pledged to take full responsibility of all his bill.