The Return of Kakadu the Musical

Rebecca Ejifoma

Live Performance on Stage
 

Last year’s premiere of Kakadu the Musical at the MUSON Centre Onikan Lagos was worth the while. But this time, it returns more energetic with a different set of young characters, as an initiative to breed the youths and take them back to the experience of their parents. It is set to hold this afternoon at 3 p.m. at Cinema Hall, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Kakadu the Musical is an exciting, inspirational and moving experience that takes its name from the famous Lagos night club of the 60s. It gave birth to an era of wonderful music and the distinctive social life that followed the coming of a young nation.

According to the Director, Kanayo Omo in a press briefing recently, it is meant to help the youths find themselves and discover beauty and excellence in themselves. “Play House Initiative is about mentoring the next generation in the arts,” he said. “And that’s what we want. It is one thing to find excitement and something new, it’s another thing to find yourself live that concrete reality.”

Tribalism and Enmity Strikes Nigeria

Kakadu presents to the people the unity of the country, the unique influence highlife music had on the psyche of Nigerians and how it showed unity on diversity. Things fell apart in Kakadu, Lagos and in other parts of the country, hence, the centre could no longer hold. They, who marched down to war with weapons, came back on able-bodied men’s shoulder. Some lost their eyes during battle, some were amputated and others went to their early grave.
 

Omo alongside the Stage Manager and Assistant Director, William Ekpo, called on Nigerians to come and experience the era when everyday then was as good as Christmas at Kakadu.

A play by Uche Nwokedi, it heralds the widows’ anguish during and after the war from 1965 to the 80s. “Mecca” of collegial love lit up lives as much as it gave it. Suddenly, everything went wrong and the fun days were lost; love betrayed, honour taken away and birthrights shattered. Kakadu never remained the same again.
A collection of songs playing from different styles were creatively woven together by the author to elucidate the story of friendship, love and brotherhood.
The musical, which is set against the backdrop of a newly independent Nigeria, promises to surprise all this afternoon.