Legendary ‘Guitar Boy’, Victor Uwaifo Dies At 80
Legendary Musician and University of Benin (UNIBEN) lecturer, Sir (Professor) Victor Uwaifo is dead. The popular singer and guitarist was 80 years old.
Fondly called the “Guitar Boy”, by his admirers, the famous Edo State music legend died on Saturday, August 28, 2021, following a “brief illness.”
Uwaifo released hits after hits in fast tempo highlife music and the ‘Guitar Boy’, as a nickname, stuck with him after a song with the same title. Until his demise, a lecturer at UNIBEN, the “Joromi” exponent had revealed that music makes him high while marking his 80th birthday in March this year,
He made the remarks at a dinner hosted by the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, to mark the music star’s 80th birthday anniversary.
Also speaking at that event, the host, Chief Igbinedion, described the legendary highlife musician as a man who had a humble beginning selling kola-nuts on the streets of Benin as a child to survive.
Born on March 1, 1941, Sir (Prof.) Victor Uwaifo, MON, was a Nigerian musician, writer, sculptor, musical instrument inventor, and University lecturer. A music legend, he was the first Honorable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Nigeria.
The deceased 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 records under the name Victor Uwaifo and His TItibitis.
A former Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism and Member of the State Executive Council in Edo State between 2001 and 2003, late Uwaifo was recognized as the most educated performing music legend, musical instrument inventor, artist, worldwide with a B.A Honors (first class valedictorian), Masters degree, and Ph.D in Architectural Sculpture, University of Benin.
He attended Western Boys High School in his hometown and later, St Gregory’s College, Lagos. He began playing guitar at age 12 and 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.
In appreciation of his talents and contributions to Nigeria, the Federal Government 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.”
According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 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.
Appointed Justice of Peace (JP), Public Notary, and Lay Magistrate, Sir Victor Uwaifo was invited to the State House and honoured by four Nigerian Presidents and Heads of State.
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 a tour of various Nigerian cities. He later experimented with a new rhythm that was similar to the 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.
With a total of 12 golden records to date, the late Music maestro was widely travelled and visited 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
