Peter Mbah, the governor of Enugu state, has renamed a road after Mike ‘Gentleman’ Ejeagha, the ace highlife singer.
Ejeagha, renowned for his 1983 hit track ‘Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche’, has recently experienced a resurgence in popularity after Brain Jotter, the skit maker, used the song for his viral dance moves.
The dance involves two or more people facing opposite directions, walking towards each other, performing a humorous leg dance, and then one chases the other while the chorus ‘Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo’ plays in the background.
In a post on X, Mbah announced that his administration has rebuilt and renamed Obinagu Road in Abakpa Nike, Enugu, in honor of Ejeagha.
He said his government has also taken responsibility for the singer’s upkeep to celebrate him while he is still alive.
Today, we honoured a living legend, commissioning and renaming the popular Obinagu Road in Abakpa Nike Enugu, which leads to the home of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha, he wrote.
Our administration purposefully rebuilt this road earlier in the year in honour our folk music legend and for the benefit of Ndi Enugu.
As government, we have also assumed sole responsibility for his upkeep. We are grateful to God for a day such as this, on which a living legend is honoured while he is still among us.
Today, we honoured a living legend, commissioning and renaming the popular Obinagu Road in Abakpa Nike Enugu, which leads to the home of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha. Our administration purposefully rebuilt this road earlier in the year in honour our folk music legend and for the… pic.twitter.com/nVCzp1vZPO
— Peter Ndubuisi Mbah (@PNMbah) September 2, 2024
Ejeagha is considered one of the pioneers of the highlife genre in Nigeria. He has been influential in the evolution of music in the Igbo language for over 6 decades.