How Jotter’s initiative brought back Gentleman

LAGOS –NIGERIA’s music legend Mike ‘Gentleman’ Ejeagha has found himself back in the spotlight, thanks to skit maker Chukwuebuka Emmanuel Amuzie, alias Brain Jotter, whose latest initiative has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that ‘Old is Gold’.

The renewed attention to the old man came after Brain Jotter used Ejeagha’s 1983 hit song “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo” in a trending dance challenge on social media.

The dance challenge has gone viral, with Brain Jotter’s video amassing 29.1 million views and over 30,000 comments on Instagram, as well as 19.6 million views and over 23,000 comments on TikTok.

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This sudden surge in popularity has brought significant attention to the 93-year-old Ejeagha and his music, resulting in an outpouring of goodwill towards the highlife icon.

In response to the video’s success, Brain Jotter visited Mike Ejeagha’s home. During his visit, Ejeagha was visibly moved and expressed his excitement and gratitude for the renewed fame that the skit has brought him.

The viral video used Ejeagha’s song “Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche” from his “Akuko Na Egwu” album Vol. 1, which tells the story of a crafty tortoise deceiving an elephant to win a princess’s hand in marriage.

Brain Jotter explained that his use of the song was unplanned and felt like a stroke of fate. “The last I heard of the song was when my father played it during trips to the East when I was a kid. I used to get annoyed… (they all laugh). I was just scrolling through TikTok and came across the song multiple times. It felt right to use it… I think it was the will of God, not mine,” said Jotter.

Ejeagha’s son expressed profound gratitude to Brain Jotter for reviving his father’s music. “Over thirty-something years have passed since this music was recorded. As God would have it, you, Brain Jotter, made this song go viral, and it will continue to trend. God bless you.”

The song, from Ejeagha’s “Akuko Na Egwu” album Vol. 1, tells the tale of a crafty tortoise deceiving an elephant to win a princess’s hand in marriage.

In the skit, Brain Jotter and a friend face each other, engaging in a playful leg dance before one chase the other, mirroring the elephant’s chase described in the song. The rhythmic “Gwo gwo gwo ngwo” sound, representing the elephant’s thumping steps, adds a comedic touch to the performance.

Addressing concerns about profiting from the song, Brain Jotter clarified, “For those who think we exploited him for money, I understand your concerns, and they are valid. I appreciate that you want him to receive value for his hard work, which is very important. However, no money was made off this song for me. The truth is that all revenue generated from his music goes back to him, his record label, and his production company.”

Additionally, Brain Jotter and his team donated 2 million naira to Ejeagha and his family to help care for the musician and support his family.