“We are going to do far better than what we did before. It is going to have a lot of international exposure. I have been to Brazil; they are waiting for us. I have been to Canada; they are waiting for us. I have been to the US; they are waiting desperately for us.
And it is going to be there for six months,” said the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at an interactive session with arts reporters at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, to announce the December edition of Moremi Reloaded.
“We are in discussion with the like of Beyonce who is willing to appear with the cast, maybe, for few minutes on stage,” he declared.
The first time the monarch, who established the House of Oduduwa Foundation in 2018 that produces the theatrical piece, watched Moremi the Musical, he was deeply touched, almost into tears, but he restrained himself. But those around him couldn’t restrain the lachrymal flow.
It was then he realised that people were really touched about selflessness, the strength of a woman, and what a woman can do to actually save a race. That really got him motivated to speak more for the weaker sex.
“I don’t like to call them the weaker sex.,” he corrected. “They are the stronger sex, for everything they do is timed. Their adaptation to life and their anatomy is timed and very sensitive. They are stronger than we men, and that’s the truth,” he said.
Ever since, he has been committed to giving more attention to women empowerment and leadership by virtue of being the custodian and progenitor of the entire Yoruba race as their ruling Oduduwa.
“And we use story like this in form of theatre, music and poetry to encourage the girl child; let them know what is called the strength of a woman from a very tender age. It is very important for our society, because, if you give a woman anything, she will reproduce it for you provided they are happy,” said the culture custodian.
For him, Moremi the Musical goes beyond being a cocktail of history, theatre and music, “It has become a movement, and a very strong movement. We are doing a reloaded edition of Moremi. What we are doing now is the art of mastery. Musical as a veritable vehicle for social change.”
