August 28, (THEWILL) – Musical Legend and Highlife King, Professor Sir Victor Uwaifo (MON), is dead.
A source close to the family told THEWILL that the “Joromi” and “Guitar Boy” crooner had briefly suffered from an undisclosed illness and died on Saturday in Benin, Edo State, where he was born and made his home.
Born 1st March 1941 in Benin, the legendary Highlife guitarist, was aged 80.
With an academic rather than an honorary Doctorate, he earned a reputation as the most educated performing commercial musician in Nigeria.
A multi-talented artiste, he was also a writer, lecturer, sculptor and musical instrument inventor.
He was awarded a professorship by the University of Benin where he had lectured in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts.
He was also the first Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Nigeria.
Uwaifo had his secondary school education at Western Boys’ High School Benin and Saint Gregory’s College, Lagos, from 1957 to 1961.
After studying Graphics at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree with first-class honours at 54 and a Master’s degree at 56 from the University of Benin, where he studied Fine and Applied Arts and majored in Sculpture.
He earned a Ph.D. in Architectural Sculpture from the University of Benin
At 77, Sir Victor Uwaifo became the first professional musician to be awarded the National Merit Honour of the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
He had developed the Akwete rhythm sound between 1965 and 1968, and in 1969, he launched a new beat called Shadow, then accompanied by a new Shadow dance, a mixture of Akwete and Twist.
Uwaifo 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, he opened the Joromi Hotel in Benin City, and within 10 years established his own television studio.
From there he produced a national weekly music and culture programme.
Some of his greatest hits included: Guitar Boy, Joromi/ Monkey Yanga, Ebiss Ebiss, Akwete, Oliha, Siwo Siwo, Do Amen Do, Sesese, Eralo Gbengigiaio, Tisha, Agege Ogigbo, Simini-Simini Ekassa and Okuo Ida Mue Mue Akwete.
Well travelled in his musical odyssey, Uwaifo visited several countries, like: United States, Russia, Japan, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, France, Hungary, Rome, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin Republic, Spain, and Canada.
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