Highlife music legend Victor Abimbola Olaiya (also called Dr Victor Olaiya) has died.
The popular musician passed on at noon on Wednesday at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
His record label, Evergreen Music Company Limited, broke the news in a statement in Lagos.
“The entire music world wishes to announce the death of a living legend of highlife music, one of the last men standing, the last of the original Dr Victor Abimbola Olaiya (OON),” the label’s manager, Bimbo Esho, wrote on his Facebook page.
“This untimely incident happened at LUTH in Lagos State at noon today (Wednesday, February 12, 2020). We pray that the doyen of highlife music find repose with the creator while wishing the family and entire music community the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss. And to my name sake, Abimbola Olaiya, I will miss your contribution to highlife music.”
Olaiya sang the world-famous song, titled: Baby Jowo.
He was 89.
In July 2013, he released a music video remix of the song with 2Face Idibia and was received with much acclaim.
Speaking on the future of highlife genre, the trumpeter was quoted in an interview: “High life has a great future because for it I live, for it I shall die.”
