Scaling Nkrumah musical into global cultural brand

…as Chief of Staff meets Latif Abubakar

As Ghana continues to explore innovative pathways for economic diversification and global branding, the Chief of Staff , Julius Debrah, has engaged playwright and cultural entrepreneur Latif Abubakar in discussions on the strategic value of theatre as a scalable cultural asset.

The meeting centred on The Second Coming of Nkrumah – The Musical, a flagship production that Abubakar describes as a deliberately structured cultural intellectual property designed for international touring, licensing, and long-term value creation.

The musical tells a fictional story of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s symbolic return, using theatre to interrogate contemporary African challenges such as leadership accountability, economic independence, industrialisation, and Pan-African integration within a globalised economy.

Abubakar explained that the production is being developed with a commercial architecture similar to successful Broadway and West End franchises, incorporating live performances, touring circuits, merchandising, and digital streaming. He noted that Africa’s creative economy is projected to exceed USD 30 billion by 2030, making culture a viable contributor to GDP growth, employment, and foreign exchange earnings.

Hon. Julius Debrah acknowledged the importance of public–private collaboration in building globally competitive Ghanaian brands and highlighted the role of cultural initiatives under The Black Star Experience in attracting diaspora tourism, investment, and international visibility.

As part of the engagement, Abubakar extended a formal invitation to the Chief of Staff and officials of the Jubilee House to attend the global premiere of the production, underscoring the value of policy-makers experiencing firsthand the scale and commercial potential of Ghanaian creative enterprises.

The Second Coming of Nkrumah – The Musical will headline the 2025 African Festival, a three-day cultural and tourism event running from 28 to 30 December 2025 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

The musical will be staged on 29 December 2025, with two performances at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and is expected to be a major attraction during Ghana’s peak December tourism season. 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.

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