Victor Olaiya

Victor Olaiya was a Nigerian trumpeter, singer, and bandleader, known as one of the most influential figures in Nigerian music. Born on December 31, 1931, in Calabar, Nigeria, Olaiya began playing the trumpet at 19. He formed his own band, the Cool Cats, in 1954, blending traditional Nigerian sounds with jazz and highlife. Olaiya was the first Nigerian musician to record an album in 1955 and performed with international artists like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. He popularized highlife music globally and released hits like "Baby Mi Da" and "Omope". Olaiya received national honors as a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and was inducted into the Nigerian Music Hall of Fame. He influenced generations of Nigerian musicians, contributed to the development of Afrobeat and Juju genres, and remains a legendary figure in Nigerian music history.