Ejeagha died on Friday at the age of 95.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Brain Jotter shared a throwback video of the late musician with the caption, “39 years ago, he made magic. 39 years later, we danced to it again. Now, he rests — but his melody lives forever. Rest in peace, legend.”

Before the singer’s death, the comedian had visited Ejeagha at his Enugu home in July 2024, after his skit — featuring the track Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche — propelled the decades-old song into a viral sensation.

The encounter left the veteran musician teary-eyed as he watched a new generation embrace his timeless work.

“Thank you for bringing back my father’s legacy,” Ejeagha’s son had said during the visit. “In over 30 years, this is the most attention his music has received.” Brain Jotter and his team also presented a ₦2 million donation to the family in appreciation and support.

Mike Ejeagha’s Classic ‘Gwo Gwo Ngwo’ Sparks Viral Dance Challenge

However, months after the song went viral, the veteran singer died, leading to an outpouring of tributes. President Bola Tinubu led the way.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described Ejeagha as “one of Nigeria’s greatest folklorists, songwriters, and musicians in the Igbo language”.

“Mike Ejeagha used his music and distinctive storytelling style to preserve and project Igbo culture and customs, inspiring generations.

“May the spirit and values of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha’s music continue to remind us that music has the power to revive, heal, and redirect energy towards worthy causes that help build our nation,” Tinubu said.

The President also commended Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah for recognising Ejeagha’s contributions while he was still alive, including renaming a major road leading to the singer’s home in Abakpa Nike as Chief Mike Ejeagha Road.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also paid tribute, noting how the viral challenge brought joy to the legend in his final months.

“It is heartwarming to note that thanks to Brain Jotter, highlife maestro Mike Ejeagha had his ‘Gwo gwo gwo ngwo’ encore dance before the curtain was drawn. Rest in music, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha,” Atiku wrote on X.

Labour Party’s Peter Obi described Ejeagha as a cultural custodian. “His transition marks the end of an era, but not the end of his voice — his songs will continue to echo through generations as testaments to wisdom, culture, and truth.

“His lyrics, rich with proverbs and folk wisdom, were moral compasses for both young and old,” Obi stated.

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah echoed similar sentiments, calling Ejeagha “a legend, a cultural ambassador, and a revered son of Enugu State.”

“His death leaves a huge void that will be difficult to fill,” Mbah said, promising to further immortalise the musician’s memory.

The song, originally released in 1983 as part of the Akuko Na Egwu Vol. 1 album, narrates the folktale of a cunning tortoise who deceives an elephant to win a princess’s hand in marriage.

In Brain Jotter’s skit, the comedic reenactment of the elephant chasing the tortoise — matched with the iconic “Gwo gwo gwo ngwo” chorus — birthed a dance challenge that quickly took over TikTok and Instagram, garnering over 28 million views in one week.

In the viral trend, two dancers meet, perform an unusual leg shuffle, and then one suddenly bolts while the other gives chase — echoing the song’s vivid imagery.

From celebrities and students to priests and even the Super Falcons, the dance sparked nationwide excitement and nostalgia.

The trend eventually attracted international participants, with foreigners joining in the dance challenge.

Born in the early 1930s in Owa, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Ejeagha was more than just a musician—his songs, often accompanied by an acoustic guitar and rich in Igbo proverbs, shared lessons on morality, discipline, humour, and the everyday struggles of life.