Nigerian legendary and most educated musician, Prof Sir Victor Uwaifo, has died at the age of 80 years.
Sir Victor Uwaifo died on Saturday, August 28, 2021, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Peter ‘de Rock’ Uwaifo, one of his children break the news of his demise on his Facebook page on Saturday evening.
According to Peter, he did not disclose the cause of his father’s death, he only expressed his sadness with a statement he wrote, “Daddy why did you leave us now? Prof Sir Victor Uwaifo has gone to rest. Black Saturday for me now. One week after collaborating with me.”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) have also consoled the family of the late music maestro.
Buhari said the late Uwaifo has left a legacy of achievements in many areas of life, including education and administration.
In a statement titled ‘President Buhari mourns legendary music artiste, Sir Victor Uwaifo’ by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, reads in part:
“The President joins the Nigerian music industry and performing artistes, home and abroad, in mourning the first Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism (Edo State), who was also the first musician and instrumentalist to be given a national honors merit, Member of the Order of the Niger, in 1983. The President believes the renowned musician, with global appeal and recognitions, lived for many firsts, which include an invitation to the State House by four presidents and heads of state, and winner of a gold disc in Africa for his song, ‘Joromi’, released in 1965 at the age of 24.”
He went on to pray for the repose of the soul of the departed and comfort for his many fans.
Expressing shock at the death of the icon who served as a commissioner under the administration of a former governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Obaseki, in a statement titled, ‘Obaseki mourns death of the legendary musician, Prof. Victor Uwaifo,’ said, “I received the news of the loss of legendary musician and art teacher, Prof Victor Uwaifo, with shock and sadness. He was talented, phenomenal, and an illustrious son of Edo State who wowed the world with his array of skills, notably his music talent.
Also, the state chapter of PMAN described the late musician as a great inspiration to others in the state. The state Chairman of the association, Eghe Nova, noted that ‘he inspired a lot of people. He was the most educated musician that we had so we had been using him to tell other musicians that musicians are not dropouts. At least, he was able to prove that. One doesn’t have to be a failure to go into music.”
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