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The command performance of Moremi the Musical took place on Sunday, December 23 with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, leading eminent Nigerians to the epic show.

•Oba Ogunwusi (fourth left), Mrs. Amosun (third right) and Alhaji Lai Mohammed (second right) among others during the command performance.

The dignitaries include the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Mrs Olufunso Amosun; Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Mr Jimi Agbaje,   Erelu Dosunmu and Chief Onikepo Akande.

It was earlier premiered on Friday, December 21 at Terrakulture Arena and runs till January 2, 2019. The musical, heavily supported by Rejuvenee and initiated by House of Oduduwa Foundation and produced by BAP, has used modernity to redefine historical tales. The mix of Nollywood icons and regular theatre actors, however, rekindles the new age understanding of the storyline coupled with the fusion of ancient and modern gadgets, as explored by BAP.

A lot of modern soul music and the traditional enchantments were skewed for modern appeal.

The stage drama has been described as one musical with a historical background ready to change the theatre narratives. Moremi became a heroine after outwitting the Ugbo king and leading Ife hunters to an epoch war that brought freedom to the cradle of the Yoruba.

Moremi sacrificed this victory with her only son.

The river goddess, played by Omotola Jolade in the drama, comes heavy with her promised demand after the war, and the pleas of Ife people cannot change her mind as she reminds Moremi that agreement is agreement.

Moremi eventually concedes to the request.

The House of Oduduwa Foundation and Rejuvenee, in collaboration with Bolanle Austen-Peters Production, produced the drama. An enthusiast, Funke Arabalashe, remarked: “From the onset, theatre has been it, but was not seriously developed due to lack of funds and support. To say that people are returning to theatre is true. The concept of theatre was on the decline for a long time until the likes of the late Ogunde and, recently, Bolanle Austen-Peters changed it. People want leisure and they embraced what was readily available to them then which was cinema. I am glad that people are looking inwards not only on politics but also arts and culture to develop our huge potentials for posterity”.

Meanwhile, since the premiere, Moremi the Musical, the conversation about drama in Lagos has been about the heroic queen warrior of all time.

Not only does the play offer the untold story of the queen warrior, it also puts a spotlight on Tosin Adeyemi, who plays the role Moremi.