President Muhammadu Buhari has said the entire country will miss the legendary musician, Sir Victor Uwaifo, who died in Benin City on Saturday at 80.
A statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, said: “President Muhammadu Buhari condoles with family, friends and associates of legendary musician and multi-talented artiste, Sir Victor Uwaifo, who passed on Saturday, leaving a legacy of successes in many areas of life, including academia and administration,” the statement said.
“The President joins the Nigerian music industry and performing artistes, home and abroad, in mourning the former first Honourable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism (Edo State), who was also the first musician and instrumentalist to be given National Honours Merit, Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) in 1983.
“President Buhari believes the renowned musician, with global appeal and recognitions, lived for many firsts, which include invitation to the State House by four presidents and Heads of State, and winner of a gold disc in Africa for his song, ‘Joromi’, released in 1965 at the age of 24.
“The President notes the glory that Sir Uwaifo brought to Nigeria through his international tours, and the active role he played in national development, returning to school to get a first degree at age 54 with first class honours, masters degree at 56, and a doctorate at 77.
“President Buhari prays for the soul of the departed musician, writer, sculptor, musical instrument inventor and university lecturer, knowing the entire country, particularly the music industry, will sorely miss him.”
Family members say they are in a terrible shock but will provide an official statement in due course.
The multi-talented icon, a songwriter, sculptor and professor, played the guitar with dexterity and he was reknowned for his dancing steps, mastery of the guitar and the flute.
He won many musical awards both nationally and internationally.
His stagecraft and music prowess left millions of his fans in awe throughout his career.
He will be remembered for hit songs like ‘Mami Water’, ‘Joromi’ and ‘Guitar Boy’.
He was the first professional musician to be awarded the National Merit Honours of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
Uwaifo served as Commissioner for Arts and Culture in Edo State between 2001 and 2003.
The music icon whose tracks “Joromi” and “Mammy Water” were hits till his demise, was a multi instrumentalist and a renowned virtual artist.
The legendary musicologist served as Commissioner for Arts and Culture under the governorship of Lucky Igbinedion.
A First-Class graduate of Visual Arts at UNIBEN, his undergraduate project of ‘A king on a horse’ is a signature arts poster at the Ekenwan Campus of the university.
According to Wikipedia, Victor Uwaifo was a writer, sculptor, musical instrument inventor, and university lecturer.
He was the first professional musician in Nigeria to receive the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) which he got in 1983.
The singer served as Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Edo State from 2001 to 2003.
He was the Chairman of Joromi Organization, a multi-track recording and television studio in Benin City, Edo State.
He ran and managed an art gallery and the Victor Uwaifo Hall of Fame.
In 1995, Uwaifo was invited by the United Nations Staff Day International Committee to perform during the UN Golden Jubilee celebration.
The music maestro was cited in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1983 edition. He was also documented in the “Who’s Who in Nigeria,” “Who’s Who in Africa,” “Who’s Who in the Commonwealth”, and “Men and Women of Distinction in the Commonwealth” sections a few years later.
He was the first Nigerian to win a gold disc in Africa through his album released in 1965 at the age of 24 years old.
Uwaifo was invited to the Nigerian seat of power by four ex-Presidents and Heads of State.
He was the winner of the first gold disc in Africa (Joromi) released in 1965 and seven other gold discs in Guitar boy, Arabade, Ekassa series and Akwete music. He recorded under the name Victor Uwaifo and His TItibitis.
He was recognized as the most educated performing music legend, musical instrument inventor, and artist worldwide with a B.A. Honors (first class valedictorian), Masters degree and Ph.D. in Architectural Sculpture (Thesis: A reinvention of Benin Royal Ancestral Pieces, University of Benin, Nigeria).
Victor Efosa Uwaifo was born in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, and obtained his secondary school education at the Western Boys’ High School Benin and St Gregory’s College, Lagos, from 1957 to 1961. He began playing guitar when he was 12 years old, his earliest popular music influences being records of Spanish and Latin American music.
He studied graphics at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and graduated in 1961–63 at the age of 22 years old. He received a bachelor’s degree with first-class honours at 54 years old (Valedictorian) and a master’s degree from the University of Benin in 1997 at 56 where he studied Fine and Applied Arts and majored in Sculpture. After leaving Benin, Uwaifo continued playing music at St Gregory’s, Lagos.
He was a contemporary of Segun Bucknor, and they were both among the leading Lagos high school bandleaders at the time. During school holidays and weekends, he jammed with Olaiya’s All Stars band. After completing secondary school studies, he played with E.C. Arinze’s highlife during late hours.
Uwaifo also briefly worked with Stephen Osadebe and Fred Coker before he formed Melody Maestros in 1965. The band released “Joromi” which became a hit in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. Uwaifo made history in Nigeria when he won the first Golden record in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa (presented by Philips, West Africa) for his song “Joromi” in 1996.
Between 1965 and 1968, he developed the Akwete rhythm sound. In 1969, he launched a new beat called Shadow accompanied by a new dance also called shadow, a mixture of Akwete and twist. The sound was released when soul music was popular in Lagos and lasted a few years. After the launch of Shadow, the Melody Maestros went on tour of various Nigerian cities.
He later experimented with a new rhythm that was similar to soul but soon left it for Ekassa, an interpretation of a traditional Benin sound.
In 1971, Uwaifo opened the Joromi Hotel in Benin City, and within ten years established his own television studio. From there, he produced a national weekly music and culture programme.
Uwaifo, who had a total of 12 golden records to date, travelled to many countries including the United States, Russia, Japan, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, France, Hungary, Rome, Ghana, Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire), Togo, Benin Republic, Spain, and Canada.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, in appreciation of his talents and contributions to Nigeria, honoured him with a National Honors Merit Award in 1983, which read in part:
” … whereas you have been nominated and appointed as Member of the Order of the Niger to have and hold and enjoy the privileges of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of the said Order, MON.”
Uwaifo was the first professional musician in Nigeria to receive such an award. He was a Justice of the Peace and had served in many capacities. Uwaifo was also appointed the Honorable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism and Member of the State Executive Council, the highest policy-making decision body in Edo State from 2001–2003.
Appointed Justice of Peace (JP), Public Notary and Lay Magistrate, he was honored by four Nigerian Presidents:
He was awarded the National Honors of Nigeria (MON). He was invited to the State House by four Presidents and Heads of State of Nigeria.
In 1995, Uwaifo was invited by the United Nations Staff Day International Committee to perform during the UN Golden Jubilee celebration. He was cited in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1983 edition, documented in the “Who’s Who in Nigeria”, “Who’s Who in Africa”, “Who’s Who in the Commonwealth”, and “Men and Women of Distinction in the Commonwealth” sections.
He was an Honorary Member of the Biographical Advisory Council, Cambridge, England; a member of both the Performing Right Society, and of the Advisory Board of American Heritage University, California, US. He was the first Nigerian to win a gold disc in Africa, (Joromi) released in 1965 at the age of 24 years old.
He was the Chairman of Joromi Organization, a multi-track recording and television studio in Benin City. He ran and managed an art gallery and the Victor Uwaifo Hall of Fame.
His hobbies included swimming, bodybuilding, gaming, reading and writing. He was a Christian and married with children.
He was also a lecturer at the Department of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
