Sir Victor Uwaifo, a most illustrious, worthy, accomplished and living musical living legend of the music industry in Nigeria; a music composer, producer and quintessential performer, a pacesetter in different spheres of life, an inventor, a winner of numerous awards, both nationally and internationally, a multi-talented artist, a painter and a sculptor, a poet, philosopher, architect, scholar and an ambassador plenipotentiary of culture of Cross River State, a pioneer commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Edo State, a multi-generational compliant musician, a lecturer, a great visionary, a member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and Justice of Peace; an athlete who can still do outside and inside press-up with vigour and rhythmic consistency that can challenge 20 - 30 year olds; a man whose athletic build, vitality and fluidity on stage are breath taking and captivating; a great achiever and accomplished son of the Land of the cradle of black civilization – Benin; of Nigeria and indeed Africa.
Sir Victor Uwaifo was born on the 1st of March 1941 in Benin City. His entrance into the world, although no trumpets were sounded, marked the birth of a boy whose name was later to become synonymous with artistic ingenuity and an epitome of creativity and versatility in the performing arts. Today, all musical instruments are virtually the play joys of this great icon of the music industry in Nigeria.
The musical and artistic career of Sir Victor Uwaifo was and has been well grounded and anchored on a solid background. Recognizing fully the importance of education in the growth of a complete man, Sir Victor Uwaifo pursued with zest, unwavering commitment and resoluteness, education, hence he stands out today as one of the most well read and intellectually sound musicians of Nigeria.
In his educational voyage, he attended Western Boys High School Benin City and St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, 1957 – 1961. He subsequently proceeded to the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos from where he obtained a National Art Diploma with distinction, 1961 – 1963. It is most remarkable that Sir Victor Uwaifo was not deterred, intimidated or arrogant to return to the classroom again, when in 1993 at the respectable age of 52 years he entered the great University of Benin and in a classic and enviable style he obtained B.A. (Hons) First Class in Fine and Applied Arts in 1995. He later enrolled in the Masters Programme of the University in 1996 and obtained a Masters Degree (M.A) not in music but the area of sculpture.
As a student, at various levels of his education Sir Victor Uwaifo set the tone for his future by winning academic laurels. He made a distinction in (Commercial Arts) Graphics and won the Lintas West Africa scholarship offer as the bet student in 1962 at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. He displayed great academic candor and sagacity when he emerged as the best overall best graduating student and had the honor of reading the valedictory speech on behalf of the rest graduating students at the University of Benin in 1996.
Sir Victor Uwaifo is a multi-talented, skilled, creative and innovative individual. It is therefore not surprising that Sir Victor Uwaifo has been exposed to different spheres of professional engagements. It is instructive to note that while Sir Victor Uwaifo was engaged in various jobs, his love, minus his wife, remained music and hence he continued to wax records while he continued to perform nationally and internationally.
Sir Victor Uwaifo has at one time or another been engaged in formal employment. He was the Assistant Head of Department (Graphics) at the Nigerian Television Service (NTV) now NTA, Lagos between 1964 and 1965. He was chairman, Bendel Arts Council, now Edo State Arts Council between 1984 and 1986. His national clout and acceptability led him to be appointed the Ambassador plenipotentiary of culture by the Cross River State Government by Governor Donald Duke between 2004- 2006. In 2006, he was appointed as a lecturer in the department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
While Sir Victor Uwaifo had been engaged by governments and their agencies, his greatest impact and accomplishments are to be found in his private working experience and entrepreneurship. Not often known about him are his great engagements in the creative arts apart from music. He has held three solo Art Exhibitions and taken part in many group exhibitions. Some of his works all over the country include the following commissioned jobs: The Cenotaph at the parade ground in Yola, Adamawa State, in Maiduguri, Borno State; Isaac Boro Park, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State; The Unknown Soldier, Abeokuta, Ogun State; Akwa-Ibom State House Beautification in Uyo; The Kinetic Sculpture at Oba Akenzua II Cultural Complex, Benin City; Pilgrimage ground (45 giant statues) Stations of the Cross at Igarra, Edo State; and many others too numerous to mention.
Sir Victor Uwaifo a research scholar discovered the structural rightness in sculpture that stands without a supporting base. Most of the works which adorn the Revelation Tourist Centre in Benin City were executed personally by him. He designed and constructed a functional sculpture of Aeroplane House, now the largest man – made sculpture in Africa and second to the Tower of Liberty in New York. Sir Victor Uwaifo stands eminently tall as the first artist in Nigeria to sculpt a motorized kinetic sculpture also the first in Nigeria, “The Dancing Chief” in front of Oba Akenzua II Cultural Complex, Benin City. A man full of dreams and accomplishments, Victor Uwaifo, is the founder of the Revelation Tourist Centre which stands as the key to historical events, horrors, tragedies, the Good, the Bad, the Ugly and the Beautiful.
If Sir Victor Uwaifo has excelled in the Art industry, it is in the music realm that he stands towering and colossal. Over the years, Victor Uwaifo like the Tower of Paris superlatively in height and depth amongst the pantheons of Benin Arts and Cultural Heroes, invariably, more than any one else, brought honor and respect to Nigeria and indeed Africa, world-wide through music.
Sir Victor Uwaifo has toured many parts of the world representing Nigeria in music festivals, including: Expo 70, Japan, Algiers 69, African Common Wealth Festival, London 1973, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania, East and West Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Rome, France, Operation Bread Basket in USA 1970. Other places are: Dallas, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, New York, Ivory-Coast, Ghana, where Joromi almost became an anthem and operation Guitar Boy was code named for a military coup.
Some outstanding performances include:- Presidential Command performances (1) 1984 State House, Lagos, (2) 1986, Government House, Benin, (3) 2005, Aso Rock, Abuja, (4) Millennium Show 2000, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin. (5) 2004, Pan African Festival, (6) Ghana 2003 and many other parts of the world too numerous to mention including Nigerian where he has toured its length and breadth. Sir Victor Uwaifo’s performances on stage have been artistically, masterfully and expertly put into records. He has released over 100 records, with each record a works of serious research and philosophical expose. It is to his credit that a number of his records were captured in international record labels with 6 gold and 4 silver awards. Sir Victor Uwaifo’s over 50 years of music and stage performance was celebrated by N.T.A with a golden jubilee award and was broadcast live to the world in 2008. His fame in music cuts across generation gaps and ethnic barriers and has become a household name in Nigeria and beyond.
Sir Victor Uwaifo has not just been a player musician, he has been an innovator in the filed. The maestro plays the guitar with his fingers which is normal but also with his toes, his jaw, his teeth, from behind his neck and back which are unusual, then he turns the guitar 360 degrees suspending it in the air with amazing speed faster than sound which is a phenomenon. His agility, athleticism during performance remains mesmerizing, breadth taking, captivating, awe-inspiring and simply scintillating.
As to be expected, this golden fish has not had any hiding place, thus he has been the recipient of both national and international awards and recognitions. Sir Victor Uwaifo was awarded the certificate of Honor by the House of Representatives, Boston Massachusetts, in the United States of America, 1997; He is documented in the Groove Dictionary of Music and Musicians Vol 8. and the only artist so recognized from Nigeria in that edition; He is documented in the Men and Women of Distinction in the Commonwealth, 1983; He has been a member of the Performing Rights Society of London , since 1967. It is on record that he is the first African to win a Record Gold Disc in 1966. Other special awards hat have been garnered by Sir Victor Uwaifo include, Resourcefulness Productivity Merit Award 1996, Fellowship of the Institute of Independent Marketing Management of Nigeria, 1996; Rotary International Award for Services to Humanity , 2002- 2003; Association of Nigerian Authors and Publishers Award 1994, The Benin National Merit Award, 2007; University of Benin Distinguished Alumnus Award 2002; Member Order of the Niger of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a Justice of Peace.
This multifarious artist, genius and living legend, gifted with esoteric knowledge, long standing experience, devout Christian, enjoys reading, studying nature, body building and swimming. A consummate sportsman, he holds the First School High Jump record set in 1958 which has remained unbroken in Nigeria till date.
It is this rare breed in the artistic world, a sculptor, a musician, an artist scholar, a pace setter, an inventor, a performer of unprecedented dexterity, the author of the Ekassa, Sasakossa genre of music, a cultural ambassador of Nigeria, an illustrious son of the great Benin Empire, an author, an international music maestro, a man whose recorded repertoire of music can play non-stop for one month uninterrupted, the charismatic, charming, ever young looking; the guitar boy, a man of stoic disciplined and focused compartment, a man of amiable and convivial disposition, , a visiting professor, Doctor of Philosophy (D. Litt), a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters , that I now present to you, the Living Legend of Timeless Legacy, Professor, Victor Uwaifo @ 70 in March 2011. |
