In accordance with his final wish, the legendary Nigerian folklorist, storyteller, and highlife musician, Mike Ejeagha, was laid to rest just 24 hours after his passing—a decision that has sparked both reverence and reflection among fans and cultural observers.
“When I die, do not take me to a mortuary, and do not embalm me. Dig a grave and bury me within 24 hours of my passing. At the family’s convenience, they may organize the traditional rites.”
— Mike Ejeagha
These words were not just a passing remark, but a deliberate expression of a man deeply connected to his roots. Ejeagha, whose music was steeped in proverbs, moral lessons, and ancestral wisdom, lived a life of cultural advocacy—and even in death, he remained true to the very values he preached.
His decision to forgo mortuary processes and embalming wasn’t merely personal—it was cultural. In many traditional Igbo beliefs, immediate burial is a way of returning the body swiftly to the earth, in line with the spiritual cycle of life and death. It also emphasizes humility, rejecting the idea of excessive or ostentatious ceremonies that might overshadow the essence of a person’s life.
By requesting a simple, quick burial and leaving room for the family to conduct rites later at their convenience, Mike Ejeagha re-centered death as a personal and sacred transition—not a performance for the public.
Known for his iconic storytelling style, Ejeagha’s songs served as oral literature, teaching generations about ethics, history, and identity. His final act, like his music, became a lesson in itself—a reminder that dignity in death is as important as dignity in life.
His family, in honoring his wish, has not only fulfilled his personal desire but also sparked renewed appreciation for traditional African practices surrounding death, mourning, and respect.
Mike Ejeagha may be gone, but through his words, music, and this final gesture, his legacy lives on.
