Veteran highlife music legend, Sir Victor Olaiya, has died after a brief illness.

Olaiya, whose music has continued to attract both old and young artistes, died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, on Wednesday at the age of 89.

The deceased, who celebrated his 89 birthday last December, was confirmed dead by Managing Director of Evergreen Music Company Ltd., Bimbo Esho.

She released a statement which read in part,

“The entire music world wish to announce the death of a legend of highlife music– one of the last man standing, the last of the originals, Dr Victor Olaiya, OON.

“This untimely incident happened at LUTH at exactly 12noon on Wednesday, February 12, 2020. We pray that the doyen of highlife music finds repose with the creator, while wishing the family and entire music community the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.”

Famous for hit songs and albums such as ‘Baby Jowo’, ‘Feso J’aiye’, ‘Ilu Le O’ and ‘Taxi Driver’, the singer and trumpeter was born on December 31, 1930, in Calabar, Cross River. However, his parents were from Ijesha-Iju in Ekiti State.

The famous musician passed the school certificate examination in 1956 and was later offered admission to Howard University to study Civil Engineering but he opted to pursue his music career.

Olaiya played with several groups, including the Sammy Akpabot band, Old Lagos City Orchestra and the Bobby Benson Jam Session Orchestra, before starting his own band, the Cool Cats. Recording phenomenal success, the band was selected to play at the state ball when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom visited Nigeria in 1956. Olaiya and his band also played at the state balls when Nigeria became independent in 1960 and a republic in 1963.

Olaiya, whose music is believed to have been influenced by American singer and the acclaimed ‘Godfather of Soul’, James Brown, later renamed his band as the All Stars Band.

Apart from his successful music career, Olaiya imported and distributed musical instruments. He was also the owner of the popular Stadium Hotel in Surulere, Lagos.

At a point, he was the president of the Nigerian Union of Musicians.

In recent times, the musician collaborated with younger artistes such as 2face Idibia.

One of Olaiya’s sons, Bayode, went on to become a substantive lead vocalist in his father’s band. His other surviving children who play music instruments are Victoria, Biodun and Elizabeth.