Mike Ejeagha

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Mike Ejeagha
Also known asGentleman Mike Ejeagha
Born (1930-04-04) 4 April 1930 (age 94)
Ezeagu, Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
Genres Igbo music
Occupation(s)Musician, guitarist
Instrument Guitar

Mike Ejeagha ( listen ; born 4 April 1930) is a Nigerian folklorist, songwriter, and musician from Enugu State. Ejeagha started his career in music in the mid-20th century. Also known as Gentleman Mike Ejeagha, Ejeagha has been influential in the evolution of music in the Igbo language for over 6 decades. His first hit was in 1960 – the year of Nigeria's independence.

Contents

Biography

Ejeagha is a distinct story-teller accompanied by guitar style and his lyrics are laced with proverbs, lending his music a didactic style. He writes his own music and his lyrics are in Igbo language. Ejeagha said in 2004: "Life at old age is quite enjoyable, especially when the Almighty God gives you good health". [1]

Ejeagha has contributed over three hundred recordings to the National Archives of Nigeria produced during his field work to investigate Igbo folklore highlife music. [2]

On 12 September 2022, it was reported by Pulse Nigeria that a documentary film on his life titled "Gentleman" is under production. The Film is directed by Michael Chineme Ike. [3]

In July 2024, "Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche", a song which was released in 1983 as part of his album Akuko N'Egwu Vol. 1, gained widespread recognition due to a viral dance challenge inspired by comedian Brain Jotter. [4]

Discography

[5]

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Amarachi Attamah-Ugwu is a Nigerian Chant Performance artist, writer, poet, broadcaster, and an advocate for the preservation of the Igbo language from extinction. She is an Igbo language Instructor in the Harvard African Language Program, department of African and African American studies, Harvard University. She is also an Igbo language instructor in the Directed Independent Language Program (DILP), at the Yale center for language study, Yale University. In 2023, she won a grant of $4000 from the Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Award in Syracuse University to support her independent research work: "Museum mapping of Igbo masks in United States and indigenous conceptualization". She was a presenter in the Enugu State Broadcasting Service, and the vice president of the Association of Nigerian Authors. As a chant artist, she has performed in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom. Attamah is the executive director of Nwadioramma Concept and founder of OJA Cultural Development Initiative. In 2020, she made a poetic documentary of the abandoned heroes of the Biafran war, entitled, Ogbunigwe. She also made another documentary about the horrors of the Biafran war as told by war veterans entitled, "Biafuru". She is the author of Tomorrow's Twist (2007), My Broad Daydream (2011), Making A Difference (2014) and Akuko lfo Nnemochie Kooro m (2014), a collection of short stories in lgbo. In 2021, Attamah co-authored Elephant Tusk with Jeff Unaegbu and others. She is a member of the African Studies Association; Enugu Literary Society, and Association of Critical Heritage Studies.

References

  1. NNENYELIKE, NWAGBO. "Life at oldage is quite enjoyable". Daily Sun . Retrieved 26 February 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. Sonny Oti (2009). Highlife Music in West Africa. Malthouse Press. p. 53. ISBN   978-978-8422-08-2.
  3. Nwogu, Precious 'Mamazeus' (12 September 2024). "Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo by Mike Ejeagha Become Top Trending Song in Nigeria". Np Nigeria.
  4. Egobiambu, Emmanuel (21 July 2024). "Mike Ejeagha's Classic 'Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche' Sparks Viral Dance Challenge". Channels Television. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  5. "Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo: Everything You Need To Know About Mike Ejeagha - Dockaysworld". 26 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.