VICTOR UWAIFO THE NIGERIAN HIGHLIFE MAESTRO & GUITAR VIRTUOSO (1941-2021)

Highlife Maestro and Professor of Visual Arts, University of Benin, Sir Victor Efosa Uwaifo was born on 1st March 1941 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 and grew up playing the instrument with dexterity and displayed kinetic dancing steps in his heydays. Some of Uwaifo’s albums ‘Joromi’ and ‘Mammy Water’ released in the early 60s, were instant hits and have remained evergreen. 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.

Victor Uwaifo was also a writer, sculptor, and musical instrument inventor, University lecturer, and the first Honorable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Nigeria, having been appointed by the administration of former governor Chief Lucky Igbinedion in Edo State 2001–2003. The music legend has travelled to many countries including the United States, Russia, Japan, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, France, Hungary, Rome, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Benin Republic, Spain, and Canada.

Sir Victor Uwaifo died at 80 after a brief illness in Benin City, Nigeria on 28^th August 2021. His legacies live on.