BAP’s ‘Fela & the Kalakuta Queens’ musical thrills audience as National Theatre roars back to life
By Benjamin Njoku
The National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos roared back to life on Monday October 1, 2025 after a few years of renovation and refurbishment. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, together with his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, led a rich array of dignitaries from the government, corporate sector and the creative industries to unveil the new-look premier home of the arts as a symbolic occasion to also celebrate Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary.
The magnificent edifice and cultural institutions has now been rechristened by the Federal Government the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts as a fitting tribute to the respected Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, whose literary and theatrical contribution to the development of theatre, literature and film is immeasurable. The three-hour unveiling event was laced with rich set of performances, of which the command performance of the popular musical, ‘Fela And The Kalakuta Queens’ stood out, thrilling the audience with its stellar cast, great acting, and spectacular dance routine, all laced with a few evergreen songs by the legendary King of Afrobeat music, the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
Although it was a teaser showpiece that lasted for just half an hour, the performance added unmistakable colour to the unveiling event, especially given that it came just before the speeches by the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Yemi Cardoso and President Bola Tinubu.
Directed by the multiple award-winning theatre and film director, Bolanle Austen- Peters, “Fela and the Kalakuta Queens” chronicles the life and times of the late legendary musician, Fela Anikulapo- Kuti, from birth to his trajectory as a defiant and uncompromising social activist, a flamboyant musical maestro as well as his historic marriage to his 27 wives (known as the Queens).
“The story of Fela and his Kalakuta Queens is as compelling, as it is deeply moving and emotionally engaging, and we are happy that it was selected as part of the performances to bring back to life the famed National Arts Theatre,” said Mrs Austen-Peters.
The play travels through the honest and selfless love the Afrobeat icon had with his dancers (Queens) who left their homes to follow him, believing in his vision of building a better community through arts and music. The Musical also explores the lives of those women who constituted an integral part of Fela’s band and gives a unique insight into the interplay of gender and power relations at Fela’s famous Kalakuta Republic. It also showcases their unique fashion, dance and African identity, while unmasking common misconceptions about them.
In his remarks, Dr. Cardoso said it was a “huge one” to be delivering his speech right after the performance of ‘Fela and the Kalakuta Queens”, given the energy it oozed and the applause it received. President Bola Tinubu also commended the evening’s rich performances, adding unequivocally that “I’m impressed and I’ve enjoyed myself.”
The historic unveiling of the refurbished theatre is not lost on Austen-Peters, who is the founder of Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions (BAP), which produced the musical and Terra Kulture Arena in Lagos. “It is a historic day for all of us in the creative sector, to have been selected for this landmark unveiling, on a day that Nigeria clocks 65, while having in the audience the No1, No 3 and Number 4 citizens of the country, among several other dignitaries. All the performances added colour and glamour to this event. This is a clear message that the creative sector has been blessed with another sets of world-class venues that will enhance creativity. We are grateful that ‘Fela and the Kalakuta Queens was part of those that successfully relaunched this main auditorium into the hearts of Nigerians,” she said.
Following a successful premiere in Lagos in 2017, Fela and The Kalakuta Queens Musical has, without a doubt, become a sensation across the globe, having been performed in Pretoria, South Africa; Cairo, Egypt and Dubai, UAE. “It is, therefore, a befitting play to reopen the newly renovated and restored National Arts Theatre”, said Joseph Umoibon, Producer of the musical.
“Fela and the Kalakuta Queens” will again hit the big stage of the Terra Kulture Arena from December 26th 2025 to Jan 12th 2026 as part of the ‘Detty December’ highlights.
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