Veteran highlife musician Victor Abimbola Olaiya is dead aged 89 after a brief illness on Wednesday afternoon at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

Papingo Dalaya, as the highlife maestro was called, was born on the 31st of December, 1930 in Calabar, Cross River State but hails from Ijesha-Ishu, Ekiti State.

He retired from his long music career in 2017 and had some hit tracks like Omopupa, Aigana, Pambotoriboto, Opataritius, Mo fe Muyan, Jemila, Kosowo l’ode, Odale Ore, So fun mi, Omolanke, Tina Mate, among others.

Olaiya, during his lifetime associated with the Evergreen Musical Company but had long retired from his musical career in 2017.

Bimbo Esho, Managing Director, Evergreen Musical Company, on Wednesday said that the late legendary highlife musician, Olaiya, remained a living legend.

Veteran musician, Ebenezer Obey on Wednesday also mourned the late highlife music legend, whom he said lived a life worthy of emulation.

Innocent Idibia aka TuBaba on his part said he is “devastated by the news of the passing of Dr. Victor Olaiya – maestro, mentor, legend.”

“My condolences to the family of Nigeria’s highlife legend, Sir Victor Olaiya, OON. His artful delivery on the trumpet and his hits from the 50s are moments we’d never forget,” Alhaji Atiku Abubakar reacted.