In an interview in Umuahia, they said that although they were aware of his ill health, they had hoped that he would survive.
They described Iroha as "an amiable fellow and a friend of everybody," adding that he would be greatly missed.
Mr Ifeanyi Onwuneme, the deceased's friend for more than three decades and a veteran journalist, said "his death was very painful.
"He was a very humorous man and was a man of pleasant conduct, who did not like to hurt anybody.
"He was very friendly and would be quick to say 'I'm sorry' if he offended you."
He regretted that the principal actors in Masquerade, which later metamorphosed to the New Masquerade, a regular weekly comedy show on the Nigerian Television Authority, were steadily passing on.
The friend recalled the painful death of Claude Eke (Jegede), Christie Essien Igbokwe (Akpeno) and now Iroha, who, he noted, acted with "a passion to entertain rather than to make money as is the case today."
Similarly, Mr Hyacinth Okoli, the deceased's colleague at Broadcasting Corporation of Abia, where Iroha retired as Director, Television Services, said that "James was a wonderful man.
"He was a man that naturally wished to make everybody happy. He was quite unassuming and down-to-earth and meant well for humanity."
He explained that contrary to public knowledge, "Gringory as the brain behind the Masquerade."
Okoli further remarked that Iroha showed no discrimination against his juniors in office but saw himself as equal with everybody in the office senior, intermediate and junior.
"James was on Grade Level 13 when I was on level 8 but both of us would always drink together at the bar.
"His death was very painful but one German philosopher rightly noted that " Death is what gives life its full meaning.
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