The Chief of Staff of the Republic of Ghana, Hon. Julius Debrah, has held high-level discussions with award-winning playwright and director Latif Abubakar on the power of theatre as a tool for national storytelling, cultural diplomacy, and global positioning.
The meeting focused on The Second Coming of Nkrumah – The Musical, a major theatrical production written and directed by Abubakar, which symbolically imagines the return of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s founding President, to engage with contemporary African realities.
The musical presents a fictional Africa where Nkrumah confronts modern challenges of leadership, economic sovereignty, youth responsibility, and continental unity. Through a fusion of live orchestra, African choreography, Afrofuturist visuals, and immersive multimedia storytelling, the production re-examines the unfinished project of Pan-Africanism for today’s generation.
According to Abubakar, the production is designed not only as a theatrical experience but as a cultural instrument capable of supporting The Black Star Experience, Ghana’s flagship cultural and tourism initiative. He explained that theatre has the unique ability to humanise history and inspire national pride while attracting global interest in Ghana’s story.
Hon. Julius Debrah acknowledged the increasing relevance of the creative arts in shaping national identity and international perception, noting that culture remains a powerful soft-power tool for promoting tourism, unity, and Ghana’s leadership role within Africa and the diaspora.
During the engagement, Abubakar also extended an invitation to the Chief of Staff and selected staff of the Jubilee House to experience the global premiere of the production, offering an opportunity for national leadership to witness firsthand how Ghanaian theatre can operate at an international standard.
The Second Coming of Nkrumah – The Musical will headline the 2025 African Festival, a three-day cultural celebration scheduled from 28 to 30 December 2025 at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).
The musical will be staged on Sunday, 29 December 2025, with two performances at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm, serving as the centrepiece of the festival.
The African Festival will also feature Don Quixote Africa on 28 December, and a grand concert on 30 December with performances by Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Rocky Dawuni, Wiyaala, Bessa Simons, Amadzeba Nat Brew, and The Adaha Band, alongside cultural exhibitions, art markets, food courts, and historical installations.
Tickets are available at www.theafricanfestival.com or by dialing *447*1092#.
Produced by Globe Productions in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the festival is supported by ECOWAS Bank (EBID), the Ghana Tourism Authority, MoMo (Mobile Money), the Embassy of Spain, and Joy Entertainment.
