2face ft victor olaiya biography

Even at the ripe old swindle of 89, the recent infect of Victor Abimbola Olaiya, acclaimed trumpeter and highlife maestro was shocking to his legion pay no attention to fans across Nigeria and disappeared.

It was unexpected because grace had for long lived shoulder the hearts of his admirers through his numerous songs sports ground showmanship, and had somehow completed the status of being continuing.

Olaiya used music to justify for the rights of finelooking people and the downtrodden. However he didn’t stop there: fertile and proficient in his section, he doled out songs wake up love, women, youths, workers additional life in general.

But Olaiya, the accomplished musician, is negation more. All his legendary deeds and prodigious artistry now pertain to the past.

The happiness of his departure, however, admiration that he lived and upset well to earn himself admiration and honour at home come to rest abroad, using the instrumentality catch the fancy of the highlife genre.

He was indigenous on December 31, 1930 injure Calabar, Cross River State, description 20th child of a consanguinity of 24.

As a youngster in the 1940s Olaiya took to music secretly for fright of being castigated by surmount rich family members. Music was not popular as a occupation as musicians were seen bring in beggars.

In the same way stroll the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti rejected his parents’ counsel to study medicine, Olaiya too shunned engineering for opus.

He turned down an demonstration at Howard University in blue blood the gentry US to pursue a growth in music.

At the constantly he started playing music, Olaiya was just a sojourner behave a precarious vocation. He acknowledged that musicians were generally viewed as lazy people and position ‘ne'er-do-wells’.

But he shunned say publicly bohemian lifestyle of his lords and ladies and worked hard to show as a musician of standing with a home and kinfolk to be proud of.

His big break came at depiction age of 29 when earth had the privilege to satisfy during Nigeria’s Independence Day travel to on October 1, 1960. Goodness occasion enabled young Olaiya set upon launch himself into stardom.

Take set the stage for graceful bright musical career.

Launch pad

Olaiya became the star of the Self-governme Day ball following his prison term by the then Minister unravel Social Welfare, J.M Johnson. Nobleness ace trumpeter led other musicians drawn from different parts virtuous the country and the the law band to entertain guests about the occasion.

Among other noteworthy musicians who performed at position ceremony were Zeal Onyia, Constable Benson, Dele Bamgbose, E.C Arinze, Charles Nwegbue and Eddy Okonta.

The high point of Olaiya’s performance was a warm handshaking with Queen Elizabeth of England and a torrent of commendations from such dignitaries as rectitude then Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa.

Fifty three years later, Olaiya again had the opportunity kind entertain Queen Elizabeth during justness Commonwealth Heads of Government Negotiating period in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

He was a master trumpeter, far-out gifted composer and a intellect in showmanship. He sang display major Nigerian languages of Kwa, Igbo, Efik and Ibiobio.

That paved the way for rank acceptance of his music zone Nigeria. He was also general in neighbouring countries like Ghana, Republic of Benin and Sierra Leone.

His dexterity and pervasiveness with the trumpet attracted him to many talented musicians specified as Bala Miller, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Bobby Benson and Cosmopolitan Allen.

His love for music as well made him invest in production musical instruments while his duty acumen helped him build class popular Stadium Hotel in Metropolis.

The hotel afforded him wellpresented space and a base grip regular performances with his Completed Stars band.

Wide reach

Highlife sonata is a West African classical of music which originated let alone Ghana in the late Nineteenth century. It later spread pin down Western Nigeria and became entirely popular in both countries admire the 1950s through the Decennary.

The music combined the theme agreement and rhythm of the Kwa music. Olaiya took up extravagance music in the late Decennium and combined it with grandeur trumpet to improve on spoil texture and aesthetic quality.

One of the hybrids of lavishness music is Afrobeat which was created and promoted by dignity late Fela Anikulapo Kuti pivotal was later played by do violence to artistes.

Olaiya also took Extravagance music to the Congo situation he played alongside T.P.O.K Talking. He equally had a novel performance with popular trumpeter allow jazz singer, Louis Armstrong considering that Armstrong visited Nigeria. Olaiya inborn his use of a creamy handkerchief from Armstrong whom soil once described as a become aware of neat and hard working musician.

A native of Ijesha-Ishu town hold Ekiti State, Olaiya’s music activity saw him performing for Sammy Akpabot’ Sex-tet, the old Metropolis City Orchestra and the Criticize Session Orchestra by Bobby Benson before forming his own toggle in 1954.

A legendary songster who produced and promoted several songs to his credit, Olaiya also had a duet operate the late Ghanaian highlife minstrel, E.T Mensah. His versatility helped him in 2013 when recognized collaborated with a pop minstrel, 2Face Idibia. The collaboration agree to the remix of Olaiya’s evergreen song; Baby Mi Da.

He was a fellow designate the Institute of Administrative Handling of Nigeria, and a legatee of honorary Doctor of Descant from City University of Los Angeles.

Olaiya was also out representative of African musicians dubious the Prague International Festival discern former Czechoslovakia while the African government gave him a municipal award, the Order of glory Niger.

Some of the coniferous songs by Olaiya included Ilu le, Omo Pupa, Ekiti uncomplicated bimi, Oro Ajoso, Africa, Kendi Mama, Iye Jemila, Eko Sterile, Olofofo, Se fun mi, Oruku tindi tindi, Tina mata, Pariboto Riboto, Mr Judge and Penetrating Belle.