Sir Victor Uwaifo is dead

Nigerian music legend, Sir Victor Uwaifo, popularly called ‘Guitar Boy’ has passed away, six months after celebrating his 80th birthday in March.

His son, Uwaifo Peter de Rock, broke the news of his death on his Facebook page.

He wrote: “Daddy whyyyyyyyyyy? Why did you leave us? “Prof Sir Victor Uwaifo   has gone to rest

Black Saturday for me nooow. “One week now after collaborating with me.”

In his lifetime, Uwaifo was a prolific songwriter, sculptor, music, and instrument inventor. Popularly known as ‘Guitar boy’, the legendary Nigerian died after a brief illness.

Uwaifo was honoured with the National Merit Honours of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON). He was the country’s first Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism and winner of the first gold disc in Africa (Joromi), released in 1965.

Uwaifo obtained a B.A. Honors (first-class valedictorian), Masters’s degree and Ph.D in Architectural Sculpture, University of Benin (UNIBEN). The deceased lectured at the UNIBEN’s Department of Fine and Applied Art.

In appreciation of his talents and contributions to Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria honoured Uwaifo with a National Honors Merit Award in 1983. Uwaifo was the first professional musician in Nigeria to receive such an award.