An emotionally gripping new musical theatre production, ‘House of Naira’, has premiered using the metaphor of a polygamous marriage to explore the persistent divide within Nigerian society.
The play is created and produced by Kehinde Oretimehin, Chief Executive Officer of Kabiyesi Studios.
Speaking at the premiere in Lagos, Oretimehin said he was inspired to create the play after the last general elections.
According to Oretimehin, he observed that Nigerians could be very be supportive outside the shores of the nation but resenting back home.
He said that he decided to use his craft, musical theatre, to write the story, in order to reach out to people.
“I want people to understand that if we keep fighting ourselves, Nigeria will die,” he said.
The play opens with a symbolic breaking news alert about the falling Naira.
It then transitions into a birthday announcement by a man – Mr Naira, who is constantly referred to as Husband – in the play.
The man has four wives, each vying for his love, but all indifferent to his challenges and struggles.
Through emotional highs and lows, the story unveils a man’s dream of building a united dynasty, only to be dragged down by family politics, greed, envy, and the crushing weight of unmet expectations.
The play, a domestic and family drama, is a political allegory, depicting how tribalism and division undermines Nigeria’s social fabric.
The producer explained that the wives in the story represent Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups with each wife assured of the man’s love, the same as how each region claims ownership of the nation’s promise.
External influences, such as the mother-in-law among others, mirror the role of political actors, cultural bias, and external interference in Nigeria’s affairs.
In spite of the emotional intensity and interpersonal chaos, the story reaches a climax where it was obvious that “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
Oretimehin urged Nigerians to be united, noting that the strength of the nation was in its diversity and shared heritage.
“We’re supposed to come together to harness our structural ability together.
“We need to love ourselves, we have everything that we need,” he said.
The production’s cast, which included Debbie Ohiri, Oluchi Odii, Bridget Nkem, Sharon Adaeze, Yewande Osamein and Ralph Okoro, brought in decades of experience from the United Kingdom, U.S. and South Africa.
