EDO State Government has announced a planned state burial for late music maestro, Sir Victor Uwaifo, who passed on on August 28.
This was contained in a statement in Benin City, yesterday by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Osaigbovo Iyoha, which said that government is tidying up arrangements with the family of the late music legend to ensure a successful state burial.
It said: “The governor has approved a state burial for an illustrious and dearly beloved Edo music icon, Sir Uwaifo.
“The Edo State Government is working closely with the family of Uwaifo to ensure a seamless state burial.
“Arrangements are in top gear and we will disclose more details of the burial in conjunction with the family.”
Sir Uwaifo died on August 28, 2021, aged 80 years. He led an illustrious career as a musician, artist and arts teacher, taking the culture, experiences and sound of Edo people to a global audience.
The 80-year-old ‘Joromi’ crooner, according to his family, died of chest infection at Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.
He studied at UNIBEN where he obtained a First Class in Applied Arts at 54, a Master’s Degree in Sculpture at 56 and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Architectural Sculpture at 77.
The iconic highlife music percussionist celebrated his 80th birthday in March.
The multi-talented icon, a songwriter, sculptor and professor, played the guitar with dexterity and he was renowned 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.
