When a music icon ascends to higher service, he leaves a monumental legacy behind. As Dr. Victor Abimbola Olaiya the Evil Genius of highlife steps into ancestry, he earns sack-loads of encomiums from the huge class of appreciative audience and admirers. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME writes on the life and times of the late legendary highlife musician, Victor Abimbola Olaiya, who passed on at 89 last week and will be buried after the lent.
Like the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the late Dr. Victor Abimbola Olaiya was a rare music icon. He resisted his family’s counsel to study Engineering and opted for music at a time such trade was everything but lucrative. In fact, music was tagged as a venture for dropouts. Today, like Fela, music brought much more honour and fame to him and his family than engineering would have done.
In one of my many encounters with the late Dr. Olaiya years ago on Nigeria’s Independence Day anniversary, he recalled with nostalgia how he felt performing on October 1, 1960 before a huge crowd of dignitaries. “I was in my highest spirit that glorious night when my band was set on the dais to thrill Nigerians, who in spite of the heavy downpour turned out in their thousands to witness the great occasions.”
That was how Dr. Victor Abimbola Olaiya and His All Stars Orchestra at the 1960 Independence celebration captured the moment. In fact, the days of Independence held great promises for the artist.
According to Olaiya, “Aside being elated by the honour of being commissioned to perform at the Independence Day celebrations, I was in fact spurred by an overwhelming sense of patriotism and honour to thrill the large crowd that thronged the venue.
“We were given the rare opportunity and privilege of being introduced to the dignitaries like Princess Alexandria of Kent, Sir James Robertson, representing the Queen Elizabeth II of England and Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, (First Nigerian Prime Minister), among others.
”While my band was at the centre stage, the Nigerian Police Force Band, led by Commissioner of Police, Mr Benedict E. Odiase (rtd) and the Zeal Onyia’s-led Nigeria National Band were at hand as supporting bands.”
He, however, noted that it was not a smooth ride to prominence for the artists, especially, the musicians who had to contend with overwhelming patronage of foreign music.
Interestingly, the Independence celebration offered Nigerian musicians the opportunity of asserting their relevance in the emerging state. But, not without a struggle.
“Originally, the government had wanted a foreign musician to perform on the Independence Day celebrations. Hearing this, the Nigerian Union of Musicians (NUM) led a protest to the Federal Government and insisted that a member of the union should be given the approval to perform on that day.
“Few days later, NUM was given the approval to form a national band, which was led by me for the Independence show. To do this, I went round the country and selected musicians who are capable of playing not only Nigerian music, but also Western pop. We were actually going to preform before a large and diverse audience. During this period, highlife was absolutely the toast of every Nigerian, even across the West coast of Africa,” he said.
Among other musicians in the vogue and of highlife music were Roy Chicago, Rhythm Dandies, Adeolu Akinsanya, Rex Jim Lawson, Eddy Okonta and Bobby Benson, all dead. Olaiya who was specially commissioned to perform for the United Nation’s Forces during the Congo (Zaire) crisis in the 60s also embarked on a playing tour of the battle front during the 30-month fratricidal war. As a mark of honour for his services to his Father-land, Olaiya bagged the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel of the Nigerian Army.
The highlife musician who hails from Ijesha-Ishu, Ekiti State had playing periods with the Sammy Akpabot’s Sex-tet; the old Lagos City Orchestra and late Bobby Benson’s Jam Session Orchestra before forming his band in 1954, same year the band made its debut.
Until his death last week, Olaiya, who was last man standing among his peers in music profession, was proprietor of the popular Stadium Hotel, Surulere, Lagos. Music lovers especially highlife enthusiasts will always find Olaiya’s songs such as Iye Jemila and Ilu le as evergreen considering the timeless nature of their messages.
His name, up till his death, was synonymous with highlife music in Nigeria, as he was the oldest highlife artist still maintaining a 15-man band among his contemporaries. Olaiya released many songs and also had duet with the popular Ghanaian highlife musician E. T. Mensah. 2Face Idibia had a collaboration that reproduced his popular song, Baby Mi Da in 2013 on Premier Records.
A fellow of the Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria, Olaiya was a recipient of a honorary Doctorate degree in Music from City University of Los Angeles. In 1963, he represented Africa at Prague International Jazz Festival in Czechoslovakia, where he bagged a honorary doctorate degree in African Music.
And in appreciation of his contributions to the overall development of his home state, his name was written in gold among 24 others given a pride of place in the roll call of honour in that state in 1990.
Apart from his contributions to the growth of Nigerian music industry, especially highlife, the late Olaiya’s Stadium Hotel in Surulere, Lagos provides veritable platform for many artistes to showcase their talent. He was also into selling of musical instrument to fellow musicians. His love of wind instrument endeared him to his golden trumpet that he always kept clean with his white handkerchief. The trumpet was central to his signature tune each time on stage or during recording of his music.
Chief Executive Officer, Evergreen Musical Company Limited Bimbo Esho, in a tribute recalled: “Precisely 16 years ago, I did my final year project on Highlife Music in Nigeria then as a young undergraduate of University of Ibadan. I travelled far and wide interviewing different Nigerian highlife musicians.
This period of my life remains one of the most memorable periods of my life. My passion for our musical heritage is undiluted and remains unshaken.
Also, in 2912, Evergreen Musical Company celebrated Olaiya’s 60 years on stage, a rare feat none of his peers could attain.
“Our Company Evergreen Musical Company in 2012 celebrated 60 years on Stage of Dr Victor Abimbola Olaiya a first of its kind event which was put together in a bid to immortalise the icon while putting together all his musical works for the sake of posterity. Dr Victor Abimbola Olaiya my name sake has a special place in my heart, may he continue to find repose with his creator,” Esho said.
According to her, Olaiya was the only Nigerian musician who shared stage with world-renowned trumpeter, Louis Armstrong known to be very disciplined and thorough when he performed in Nigeria.
He was also the best choice to entertain Nigerian troops at the fronts during the Nigeria civil war. He also went to Congo to perform for UN Troops. The complete musical works of Olaiya a 75-tracker, and his comprehensive biography are currently collectors delight at Evergreen.
Some of the vintage songs include Ekiti Na bimi, Oro Ajaso, Africa, Kendi Mama, Iye Jemila, Ilu le, Eko Ile, Tina Mate, Aigana, Olofofo, Se fun Mi, Mr. Judge (a collaboration with ET Mensah), Bottom Belle, Pariboto Riboto, Man’s E, Anya Koko, Abanije, Oruku TindiTindi, Iyana and Ewa among others.