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0 A delegation from the family of legendary broadcaster, Mike Eghan, has visited former President John Agyekum Kufuor to formally inform him of his passing.
Mike Eghan, known as The Magnificent Emperor in broadcasting, passed away on June 5 after a short illness.
He was 89.
The visit was also to inform the former President about the burial and funeral arrangements for the veteran broadcaster who was among the pioneers of radio and television in Ghana.
The Burial Service will take place on Wednesday, June 25, at the Lashibi Funeral Home in Accra.
Sharing some of his fond memories of Mike Eghan, former President Kufuor said he remembers him for his dynamism, his eloquence and the fun yet very informative nature of his presentation style on both radio and television.
He also described him as one who handled his craft with such professionalism that he became a source of pride for Ghanaians and Africans, who listened to the BBC.
“But in all that, he was humble, so humble that I, like many of our contemporaries, thought that I was older than him, until I found out that he was actually older than me,” ex-President Kufuor said.
He said it was in recognition of that impact that earned Mike Eghan a national honour in 2008.
“Mr. Eghan was so humble that I thought I was older than him, until I found out later that he was actually the older one.
“Through his work as a broadcaster, he served his nation and to some extent, the continent well and deserved to be honoured.
“That’s why he was presented with the Grand Medal Civil Division, in 2008.
“He deserved every bit of it,” the former President said.
Mike Eghan
Mike Eghan was one of the pioneers of radio and television when Ghana had its first television station, Ghana Television, run by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in 1965.
He had a broadcasting career that spanned six decades.
His TV show, the Mike Eghan Show, aired on Saturday evenings, was iconic, hosting some of the influential personalities in Ghana and on the continent.
His signature phrase: “Well, Well, Welcome; Welcome to the show,” became a popular one in most households beyond Ghana as the programme was aired on other African TV stations under URTNA (Union for Radio and Television Networks for Africa).
