09/06/2025
Why We Buried Mike Ejeagha Within 24 Hours – Family Reveals
In a heartfelt tribute to the wishes of a legendary icon, the family of late highlife maestro, Mike Ejeagha, has opened up on the reason behind his swift burial — just 24 hours after his passing. The 95-year-old cultural treasure, known across generations for his profound storytelling through music and his evergreen hit, *"Gwo Gwo Gwo"*, died on the evening of Friday, June 6, 2025. By Saturday, June 7, he was already laid to rest in his ancestral home at Umuagba, Imezi-Owa, in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
In an exclusive statement made on Sunday, his eldest son, Emmanuel Ejeagha, explained that the swift burial was not out of haste or necessity, but an act of solemn respect for a deeply held wish expressed by the musician himself while alive.
“My father made it very clear — repeatedly — that when he dies, he must not be embalmed. He didn’t want his body kept in the mortuary or delayed for any reason. He instructed me, as his first son, to ensure that he is buried within 24 hours of his passing,” Emmanuel said.
Honoring a man whose life was built on tradition, wisdom, and the sanctity of culture, the family held an emergency consultation immediately after his death. Emmanuel reached out not only to close relatives but also convened a meeting with the broader kindred to discuss how best to honor the late musician’s directive.
“I summoned a meeting of our kindred to inform them about my father’s specific instructions. We also notified the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, and everyone was in agreement that his wish should be respected,” Emmanuel recounted.
He emphasized that disobeying such a clear and sacred wish from an elder, especially one as revered as Mike Ejeagha, could bring spiritual or cultural consequences.
“In our tradition, when an elder speaks — particularly about matters of his transition — it must be respected. Going against it could have serious consequences. So, we fulfilled his wish with a heavy heart but also with honor.”
While the burial was conducted swiftly and quietly, Emmanuel noted that a more elaborate funeral ceremony and celebration of life is being planned and will be publicly announced soon.
Mike Ejeagha, who began his musical career in the 1950s, was not just a singer but a folklorist, philosopher, and custodian of Igbo oral traditions. For decades, he used his music to pass on proverbs, ancestral wisdom, and life lessons — becoming a beloved figure not only in Nigeria but across the African music community.
As the family and the entire nation prepare for a larger celebration of his extraordinary life, one thing is clear: the legacy of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha will continue to echo through the corridors of time — not just in his music, but in the dignity with which he lived and the honor with which he was laid to rest.
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