Victor Olaiya’s music inspired old, young – Okoroji

The Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Tony Okoroji, on Thursday said that the music of the Late highlife legend, Victor Olaiya,  inspired the old and young.

Okoroji, who spoke in Lagos, said Olaiya’s songs cut across age, religion and tribe.

Olaiya died at the age of 89 after a brief illness on Wednesday afternoon at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Okoroji said: “The passage of Victor Abimbola Olaiya is like the falling down of the big Iroko tree for us in the creative industry.

“He inspired a lot of people, including the young. His songs cut across tribe, religion and age. “It is the end of an era, because for highlife music, he was one of the big custodians of the art, and he held on to it for almost all of his life.

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“There would be other musicians over time, but there will be no other Victor Olaiya. “As we mourn him, I realise that if he had not passed on this February, he would have been 90 years of age in December. “This is also a call for celebration. So we will celebrate him in every way. May his soul rest in perfect peace.”

The “Baby Jowo” crooner retired from his musical career in 2017 and had some hit tracks like “Omopupa”; “Jemila”; “So fun mi”; “Tina Meta”; “Pambotoriboto”; “Aigana”; “Odale Ore”; “Mo Fe Muyan”; Opataritius”; “Omolanke”, among others.

Olaiya’s songs have inspired many old and upcoming artistes, judging by his “Baby Jowo” remix with Tuface Idibia and the sampling of “Joromi” by current trending musicians. (NAN)