Goodnight Sir Victor Uwaifo, Our Guitar Boy…

When a huge tree falls in the forest, the loud thud is heard
over miles. Nigeria, nay the world, mourns the passage of a
huge music maestro.
I vividly recall our days on Lagos Street where you lived a
short distance away from us on Iwehen Street. You often
came to visit my senior brother, Osaheni Uzamere your
childhood friend and contemporary. As I was much younger
than you both, I admired your personality and strong
character with awe.
From humble beginnings, you grew yourself up to national and
international fame. You extolled the highlife music genre and
no party ended without the stroming guitar of *Joromi, Guitar
Boy, Ekassa 28,* and your many other evergreens. You not
only played, you danced and your dance moves were
emulated on many dance floors. You invented a double guitar
to the amazement of the entire world. You were adept with
the flute, electric guitar, saxophone, piano and percussion.
Your voice, was sweeter than the nightingale’s.
You won for Nigeria, her first Gold Disc Record, with your
release of *Joromi* in 1965, among many other firsts you
scored. You not only excelled in music, you veered into
academics in your adult age, bagging a 1st Class degree in
your course of study. You grew to become a Professor. You
were an icon. You effortlessly changed many mindsets that
ignorantly saw musicians in a negative light, those early days.
You were a great lover of our rich Benin culture. You
promoted our rich heritage in your music. You served our
ancient Benin Kingdom and our Edo State, with pride and
commitment.
You bowed in a blaze of glory. I pray that God gives your soul,
a restful repose. May God give your immediate family and
Benin kingdom, the fortitude to bear your saddening loss.
Contemporary Benin history reserves space for you, as you
live in our hearts and in your works – your everlasting music.