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OPINION: Mike Ejeagha And The Power Of Music

Published

1 year ago

August 2, 2024

Tunde Odesola

I grew up hating my name, Isaac, after listening to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s song, Upside Down, which he did with his American soulmate, Sandra Isidore, in 1976. Apart from his mother, the king-dethroning Madam Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Sandra was a major influence in the radicalisation of Fela, burnishing his art and heart with the socio-political wildfires called Blackness and Africanness spreading across the US, Europe and Africa to other parts of the world at the time.

Harnessing the genius of multi-talented designer, artist, painter and illustrator, Lemi Ghariokwu, whose brush drenched the sleeves of Fela’s albums in rainbowy colours, the Afrobeat god granted Ghariokwu the artistic licence to design and write the lyrics of his songs on his album sleeves. Ghariokwu made the best of the opportunity presented by Fela, soaring to world acclaim. The sleeve designs of ‘Yellow Fever’, ‘Zombie’ and ‘Beasts of No Nation’ are still vividly etched in my memory.

Not novel to the Nigerian music industry, the illustrations and lyrics on Fela’s album sleeves made it easy for his lovers and haters to understand the anger in his protest songs. Personally, the illustrations and lyrics made me internalise his gospel, though I was young.

Despite being a consummate Christian, my father, who was his fan, didn’t know he was planting the seeds of Black African consciousness in me by buying Fela’s albums. I remember my mother also bought the 1973 album of St Gregory’s College teenage students’ group, Ofege, titled ‘Try and Love’.

Leader of the group, Melvin Ukachi, revealed that Ofege was an abridged form of ‘O fo gate’, which means ‘he jumped the gate,’ a term used for Army deserters on French leave aka AWOL or students who left the dormitory without permission.

Isaac!? “No, I’m not sick,” I would say – in derision of my name – and would tell whoever cared to listen how wrong it was for me, a Yoruba, to bear a Jewish name when Jews don’t bear Yoruba names. In my fledgling ideological radicalism, I saw reason in Fela and Sandra, who sang in ‘Upside Down’ that, “Englishman get English name, American man get American name, German man get German name, Russian man get Russian name, Chinese man get Chinese name, but African man no dey get African name…everything disorganise, patapata…”

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As a youngster, I never plucked up the courage to tell my parents how much I disliked the Isaac name. Who born me? But when I came of age, I did tell my father how kobo-wise and naira-foolish I think it was for anyone to go to Jerusalem or Mecca on pilgrimage in the hope of making it to Paradise. I also told him how illogical I think it was for Nigerians to communicate with God in foreign languages such as Arabic, Italian, Hebrew etc when God understands all languages.

Fela intended his songs as a tool for social change. With the cult following he enjoyed, Fela knew his songs would sprout disciples in many nations. Though I didn’t smoke marijuana, I became a disciple of Fela’s gospel, always leaving my shirt unbuttoned at the chest, a behaviour which often fetched my mother’s swift ‘ifakun’ slap on my flat-screen chest, ‘twai’; ‘it’s not in this house you will become a Fela disciple! Button up, you goat!’

Just 18 when he met Fela, Ghariokwu had done a portrait of the Abami Eda and went to present the work to him. Fela reportedly offered Ghariokwu four times the worth of the painting but the creative turned down the money, thus earning a lifetime ticket to Kalakuta Republic.

As a result of his diligence with Fela, self-taught Ghariokwu achieved international repute, exhibiting in major museums across the globe, granting interviews to global media organisations, including CNN and designing album covers for Bob Marley, Osita Osadebe, Kris Okotie, Lucky Dube, Miriam Makeba etc. Also, he designed album covers for 2Face, Lagbaja, Sound Sultan, Falz, Brymo and record labels such as EMI, CBS and Ivory Music. He also recorded a song, Omolakeji, in 1992, featuring Daniel Wilson aka Mr Ragamuffin.

At 94, folklorist and master guitarist – Gentleman Mike Ejeagha – is at the Departure Lounge of Life International Airport, awaiting his last flight. A soft female voice wafted through the airport’s Public Address System, saying: “Passenger No 01-08-1932, Pa Mike Ejeagha, your attention is needed. You are about to board the wrong flight. Please, go back to the Arrival Lounge, a convoy is waiting to take you back home, courtesy of popular comedian, Brain Jotter.”

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And Gentleman Ejeagha burst into tears.

In music, folderol is a refrain with no meaning though it may be rhythmic. ‘Gwo, gwo, gwo, ngwo’ is a folderol, just as ‘Eweku ewele’, the Yoruba version of ‘Gwo, gwo, gwo, ngwo’ is. ‘Gwo, gwo, gwo, ngwo’ and ‘Ewku ewele’ are refrains in the Igbo and Yoruba folktales that showcase how little Tortoise differently tricked the almighty Elephant. ‘A o m’erin j’oba’ is the Yoruba version of the folktale. At best, both refrains signify the footfalls of the Elephant: ‘Gwo, gwo, gwo, ngwo’, ‘Eweku ewele’.

Ejeagha had only been known within the resilient Biafra enclave until fate blew fame his way recently, after his 1983 song, Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche, became the 14th most searched song in the world because the song went viral when Brain Jotter created a funny dance step and used the song in his comic skit.

In Igbo land, the name Mike Ejegbha is synonymous with storytelling such that whenever someone is engaging in a long speech, the audience would say, ‘Akuko Mike Ejeagha,’ meaning ‘Storytelling like Mike Ejeagha’.

Ejeagha simply means ‘Safe journey’. As a nonagenarian, one of the prayers of the Imezi Owa-born indigene of Enugu State would include a safe journey back home to his Maker for he had run a good race, fought a good fight and was waiting on his Lord before Brain Jotter appeared in the sky to give him fresh wings to fly, once again, among stars. It’s destined that Ejeagha’s song would be sung by this generation.

You can’t enjoy Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche if you play it on mobile devices. Get the music on a stereo and hear the booming ‘udu’ tempering the classic guitar work played on D major scale. It’s crazy.

Over the years, degeneration in moral values has seen Nigerian society abandon didactic musical messages for the current hurricane of irritatingly noisy music full of fury, materialism, sex, ritualism and outright stupidity.

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Music is powerful. I should add ‘very’ to the power of music. The walls of Jericho fell to music. David won the heart of God with music. Music is the food of love. It’s also the fuel for war. Music made me hate Isaac till tomorrow. Music is very powerful. Music is making Gentleman Ejeagha float on cottony clouds in the evening of his life, fulfilling the prayer of Everyman – to finish well in life; to not wear rags after donning coats of many colours, to not eat bone after eating choice meat.

By the way, who invented music? Who invented dance? There’s no historical evidence as to who invented music but dance, one of the most expressive physical art forms, evolved from prehistoric times as a celebratory worship form in spiritual rituals, creating family and communal bonds. Egypt and India are believed to be the earliest roots of dance.

There’s an unmistakable affinity between Igbo and Yoruba languages despite the political wedge being driven between the two great peoples. The Igbo call the elephant ‘enyi’ while the Yoruba call it ‘erin’. The mouth is ‘onu’ in Igbo, it’s ‘enu’ in Yoruba just as the ear, called ‘nti’ in Igbo, bears ‘eti’ in Yoruba. The hand is ‘aka’ in Igbo and goes by ‘apa’ in Yoruba while the nose is ‘imi’ in Igbo and ‘imu’ in Yoruba. Torotoro is turkey in Igbo while it’s tolotolo in Yoruba. Goat, ‘ewu’ in Igbo, is ‘ewure’ in Yoruba. Corn is ‘oka’ in both languages just as fever is ‘iba’ in both.

In 2019, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and Ohaneze Ndigbo agreed that the Igbo once lived in Ife. The Ooni, who said the Yoruba were aborigines of Ile-Ife, added, “We have to say the truth and the truth must set us all free, we (Yoruba and Igbo) are blood brothers.” But the National Deputy Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chuks Ibegbu, said the Igbo were the original occupants and owners of Ife before the arrival of the Yoruba. Historians should shed light on the issue.

A retired Associate Professor of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Bolaji Aremo, whose research affirmed both Igbo and Yoruba languages were from the same parent language, said the similarities suggest that both languages lived in the same community at a time and that both ethnic groups were of the same ancestral stock.

Ejeagha is Igbo, yet the Yoruba dance ‘Gwo, gwo, gwo, ngwo’. The Igbo danced to Sina Peters’ ‘Ace’. Music is the powerful food of love.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

Facebook: @Tunde Odesola

X: @Tunde_Odesola

News

NDLEA Intercepts Drugs Concealed In Frozen Snails, Electrical Bulbs

Published

3 hours ago

October 19, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted consignments of illicit drugs concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothes bound for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to a statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the interceptions were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a courier company in Lagos.

Babafemi said two suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures.

“One of them, a cargo agent Boladale Riliwan, was arrested on October 7, 2025, following the discovery of 15 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in 10 pieces of giant rechargeable electrical bulbs he presented in a carton for airfreight to the Democratic Republic of Congo at the export shed of the Lagos airport,” Babafemi added.

Babafemi said another suspect, a 48-year-old UK-based public health assistant, Olawale Hakeemot, was arrested on October 12 at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the MMIA, Ikeja.

He said she was found with 2,300 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in frozen snails while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester, United Kingdom.

“Attempt by another syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam hidden in female clothes going to the United States was also thwarted by NDLEA officers at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, 16th October,” he added.

In Adamawa State, Babafemi said operatives intercepted a suspect, Bello Buba, at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South Local Government Area, with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic.

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PSC Reviews Disciplinary Cases, Reinstates Dismissed Police Officers

Published

5 hours ago

October 19, 2025

Editor

The Police Service Commission has reinstated some police officers who had been punished after reviewing a series of disciplinary cases.

The commission said no fewer than 24 appeals and one pending disciplinary matter were deliberated on during its plenary.

A statement on Sunday by the PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, said the decisions were aimed at ensuring fairness and justice in police disciplinary administration.

Among the officers reinstated was ACP Ejiofor Grace Obiageli, who had been compulsorily retired following an incident on September 8, 2023, at Old Netim Division, Akamkpa, Cross River State.

“The Commission approved her reinstatement from the date of her compulsory retirement and to be properly placed so as to be at par with her mates,” Ani added.

Ani also said the commission freed ACP Muhammad Yunusa from a punishment of severe reprimand, restored the rank of CSP Ihekandu Okwuonu, and reinstated him, subject to his date of retirement.

“The Commission also freed ACP Muhammad Awwal Yunusa from a punishment of severe Reprimand, restored the rank of CSP Ihekandu Allwell Okwuonu and reinstated him, but subject to his date of retirement.

“SP Clement Awoyemi got the Commission’s approval for adjustment of his date of reinstatement while ASP Bamiselu Oluwaseun, ASP Ahmed Monday and ASP Imoohi Doora were all reinstated,” he said.

Ani equally said the commission dismissed petitions against DIG Bzigu Dali, describing allegations of falsified records as frivolous.

“The Commission also noted that, as the exclusive body on Police Discipline, the warning letter issued to the officer, and which did not emanate from the Commission, was null and void. It also quashed the reversal of his date of birth from 10th of April 1967 to 10th of April 1966 through a signal”, he said.

Ani said the PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd), promised that the commission would continue to ensure that justice is served promptly in all disciplinary cases.

He noted that officers who are cleared of wrongdoing should not have their careers hindered by administrative delays or errors.

“The Commission will henceforth ensure that pending disciplinary matters are treated with despatch so that those found culpable are made to face the consequences while those exonerated are freed to continue with their career progression.

“The Commission will not at any time impede the career progression of any Officer who is not found guilty of any misdemeanour,” Argungu was quoted as saying.

Ani also said at the commencement of its second plenary meeting on Thursday, the Commission approved the promotion of several deserving officers, including the appointment of a new Deputy Inspector-General of Police and the promotion of one Commissioner of Police to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General.

Among those promoted were SP Omenihu Obinna, Commander, Anti-Cult Unit, Abia State Command; DSP Bankole Olajide Joseph, Commander, Bank Guard, Lagos State Command; and several others confirmed as Assistant Superintendents of Police, including Ede Stella Ukamaka of the Police Hospital, Awka, Anambra State; Omeife Bethrand Emeka of 45 PMF, Force Headquarters, Abuja; and Nnamdi Nwoba, O/C Surveillance, Ubakala Division, Abia State Command.

ASP Adeyemi Adeola, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of a Lagos State Task Force, was also promoted to the rank of DSP.

The reinstatements come amid the Police Service Commission’s ongoing efforts to restore confidence in its disciplinary processes and correct administrative injustices within the Nigeria Police Force.

The PUNCH reports that over the years, several officers have petitioned the commission over what they described as wrongful sanctions, arbitrary punishments, or flawed disciplinary proceedings.

News

Police Warn Against Protest In Aso Rock, Environs

Published

12 hours ago

October 19, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has warned intending protesters, agitating for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kalu, against any form of protest around the Aso Rock and its environs.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in Abuja, said the warning followed an order of a Federal High Court, Abuja.

He said the court, in a suit between the Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Omoyele Sowore & 4 others, on Oct. 17, restrained any form of protest around the Aso Rock and its environs.

“The order restrains the respondents and any other persons or groups acting under their instruction from staging protests within and around Aso Rock Villa and its environs.

“Other areas are the National Assembly Complex, Force Headquarters, the Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way.

“Accordingly, all intending protesters and counter-protest groups are strongly advised to avoid restricted areas and to refrain from any act capable of provoking confrontation or disturbing public order,” he said.

The police spokesman said the force would ensure the free flow of traffic, protection of lives and property, and security of all law-abiding citizens.

According to him, any person or group that uses protests as cover to incite violence, carry or use offensive weapons, vandalise public or private property, kidnap, or engage in acts likely to cause loss of life or serious injury will be dealt with decisively.

He said offenders would be arrested, subjected to full investigation, and prosecuted under relevant criminal laws, including laws relating to public order, violent conduct and terrorism where applicable.

Hundeyin said those who incite others via social media or other platforms would be investigated and prosecuted, using digital evidence.

He said the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, had directed the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and relevant operational commands to ensure strict enforcement of the court’s order.

Hundeyin said the I-G had directed the CP to maintain visible and strategic deployments across vulnerable locations, and ensure the safety of residents and lawful activities in the FCT.

He urged organisers of the protest and participants to avoid the restricted areas specified by the court and refrain from carrying weapons, engaging in provocative conduct, or encouraging others to breach the law.

Hundeyin also urged the protesters to channel their grievances through the courts and other lawful avenues rather than the streets.

The police spokesman said adequate security arrangements had been made to protect lives and property of law-abiding Nigerians.

He enjoined those, not engaging in the protest to go about their lawful businesses without fear as anyone found to be in breach of the court’s order or in contempt of the law and be arrested and prosecuted.