Peter de Rock Uwaifo, a nephew to late legendary highlife musician Sir Victor Uwaifo has opened up on his last encounter with the Professor of Visual Arts at the University of Benin.
In an exclusive chat with The Nation, Peter de Rock, who is also a musician, disclosed Uwaifo battled a lung-related ailment but could not confirm if that was what led to his demise.
Peter de Rock, who collaborated with the veteran musician about a week ago for a gospel song titled ‘Hallelujah’, said his death didn’t come as a shock to him due to the tone of his conversation with him at the time.
He said he was related to Sir Uwaifo by virtue of his father, late Clement Uwaifo who is his older brother and “taught him music.”
Peter de Rock said: “Everybody calls me Sir Victor Uwaifo’s son because I took after him but he is actually my uncle. We were very close. I am popularly known as Uwaifo junior.
“I am not in the mood to speak right now but he was actually sick. I just did a collaboration with him about a week ago whose information you can find on my Facebook page.
“He said some things to me in the cause of the collaboration that made me believe he was ready to leave.
“From those words, I could deduce that he knew he was ready to leave this world. So, it didn’t really come to me as a surprise or shock even though I still can’t bring myself to believe he’s gone just like that.
“I was unhappy with the tone of his conversation at the time we were in the studio but I know better now.
“I don’t know the exact name of his ailment but I learnt it had to do with infections that affected his lungs. I am not so sure if that was what led to his death.”
Explaining his relationship with the late varsity don, he said: “Sir Victor Uwaifo was my father’s immediate younger brother.
“My father, late Clement Uwaifo popularly known as Clemico is the first musician that taught Sir Victor Uwaifo music.
“However, I grew up to see Sir Uwaifo as my own dad after my father’s demise.”
Peter de Rock confirmed there was no arrangement for Sir Uwaifo’s burial yet “because the news just came in today and the family is yet to gather to deliberate on anything.”
He however noted “there will be information on that probably in the coming week.”
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