Victor Efosa Uwaifo (1 March 1941 – 28 August 2021) was a Nigerian musician, writer, sculptor, and musical instrument inventor, university lecturer, music legend, and the first Honorable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and

Tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

in Nigeria. He was the winner of the first gold disc in

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(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".

Early life and education

Victor Efosa Uwaifo was born in

Benin City Benin City serves as the Capital city, capital and largest Metropolitan area, metropolitan centre of Edo State, situated in Nigeria, southern Nigeria. It ranks as the List of Nigerian cities by population, fourth-most populous city in Niger ...

Edo State Edo State, Edo, officially known as Edo State, is a States of Nigeria, state in the South South, South-South Geopolitical zones of Nigeria, geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As of 2024, the state was ranked as the List of Ni ...

Colonial Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1st of October 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. Britain Lagos Treaty of Cession, annexed Lagos Colony, Lagos in 1861 and established the Oil River ...

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 The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

when he was 12 years old, his earliest popular music influences being records of

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and

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music. He studied

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at Yaba College of Technology,

Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...

and graduated in 1961–63 at the age of 22 years old. He received a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

with first-class honours at 54 years old (

Valedictorian Valedictorian is an academic title for the class rank, highest-performing student of a graduation, graduating class of an academic institution in the United States. The valedictorian is generally determined by an academic institution's grade poin ...

) and a master's degree from the University of BeninInterview with Sir Victor Uwaifo – "Tales from the Guitar Boy"
Thicc Tourism, 30 April 2014. in 1997 at 56 where he studied fine and applied arts and majored in

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

. The thesis for his PhD in

architectural sculpture Architectural sculpture is the use of sculptural techniques by an architect and/or sculptor in the design of a building, bridge, mausoleum or other such project. The sculpture is usually integrated with the structure, but freestanding works that ...

was entitled ''A reinvention of Benin Royal Ancestral Pieces, University of Benin, Nigeria''.

Career

After leaving Benin, Uwaifo continued playing music at St Gregory's College, 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 West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...

. Uwaifo made history in Nigeria when he won the first golden record in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa (presented by

Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), simply branded Philips, is a Dutch multinational health technology company that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, its world headquarters have been situated in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarter ...

, 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 Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American culture, African-American African-American neighborhood, communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps ...

was popular in Lagos and lasted a few years. After the launch of Shadow, the Melody Maestros went on tour of various Nigerian cities. 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, Uwaifo opened the Joromi Hotel in

, 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

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Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...

(Côte d'Ivoire),

Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...

Benin Republic Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...

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, and

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National recognition

The Federal Government of Nigeria, in appreciation of his talents and contributions to Nigeria, honored 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 a Member of the State Executive Council, the highest policy-making decision body in Edo State from 2001 to 2003. Appointed Justice of Peace (JP), Public Notary, and Lay Magistrate, Victor Uwaifo 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.

International recognition

In 1995, Uwaifo was invited by the

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Staff Day International Committee to perform during the UN Golden Jubilee celebration. He was cited in the ''

Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language '' Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and th ...

'', 1983 edition, documented in the "Who's Who in Nigeria", "Who's Who in Africa", "Who's Who in the

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", and "Men and Women of Distinction in the Commonwealth" sections. He was an Honorary Member of the Biographical Advisory Council,

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, England; a member of both the

Performing Right Society PRS for Music Limited (formerly The MCPS-PRS Alliance Limited) is a British music copyright collective, made up of two collection societies: the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) and the Performing Right Society (PRS). It undertakes ...

, and of the advisory board of American Heritage University,

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, US. He was the first Nigerian to win a gold disc in Africa, (Joromi) released in 1965 at the age of 24 years old.

Business enterprises

Uwaifo 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.

Personal life

Uwaifo's hobbies included swimming, bodybuilding, gaming, reading and writing. He was a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

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. He died on 28 August 2021 at the age of 80.

Discography

*''Sir Victor Uwaifo Guitar Boy Superstar 1970-76'' (2008, Soundway) ;Contributing artist * '' The Rough Guide to Highlife'' (2003,

World Music Network World Music Network is a UK-based record label specializing in world music. The World Music Network website features news, reviews, live music listings, and guide sections on world music. It also features an online "Battle of the Bands" competi ...

) * '' The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Africa'' (2012, World Music Network) * '' The Rough Guide to African Disco'' (2013, World Music Network)

References

External links

Victor Uwaifo website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Uwaifo, Victor 1941 births 2021 deaths Edo writers Nigerian highlife musicians Musicians from Benin City Members of the Order of the Niger 20th-century Nigerian musicians St Gregory's College, Lagos alumni University of Benin (Nigeria) alumni Yaba College of Technology alumni 20th-century Nigerian inventors Academic staff of the University of Benin (Nigeria) The Headies winners