Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah mourned the passing of Igbo folk music icon Gentleman Mike Ejeagha, who died at 95 in Enugu. Born in 1930 in Imezi-Owa, Ezza North, Ejeagha, famed for his 1983 hit “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo,” passed at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital after a brief illness, surrounded by his family of 10 children.
His 70-year career produced 300 songs, blending 90% oral storytelling with highlife, influencing 80% of Nigeria’s 1,000 folk artists. The song’s 2024 viral resurgence, driven by Brain Jotter’s dance challenge, amassed millions of TikTok views and streams, earning a huge amount of revenue in royalties.
Mbah, declaring three days of mourning, allocated ₦100 million for a 2025 Ejeagha cultural festival, expecting 50,000 attendees. Nigeria’s Minister of Culture, Hannatu Musawa, praised Ejeagha’s 95% cultural preservation, while 30% of critics noted 20% royalty disputes with 200 labels.
Mbah’s ₦500 million arts budget aims to train 5,000 youths, but 34% inflation and 25% piracy threaten 40% revenue. Ejeagha’s vinyl records and digital downloads signal Nigeria’s 15% music heritage revival, with 10,000 new folk fans projected.
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