Snake Awake is a participatory ritual dance performance fusing West African live music, chants and electronic sounds.

The performance is based on a Yoruba myth of creation and symbolizes the connection between man and the divine. As Creative Director, I worked with an ensemble of 11 artists creating a street performance that calls for freedom and justice. In addition, I developed a comprehensive social media strategy, achieving significant audience growth [Instagram followers tripled in 2 months] and increased engagement and brand awareness.

Imagine two cohorts of young artists from Europe and Africa working across disciplines to co-create a new show around identity, modernity and freedom.

Being co-artistic director in the residencies in Nairobi and Rome is a highlight in my career.

The best way to describe it to share Journey to Paradise, a documentary by filmmaker Tim Mwaura on the project.

Mahad Mohamed Mohamud, Somalia.

EAST was originally a 3-day residency in which a core part of the experience was spending nearly 24 hours on a train from Nairobi to Mombasa with 30 other artists co-creating new works.

Now imagine trying to recreate the experience online during the pandemic. This of one of the most challenging and fulfilling experiences for me in the role of Artistic Director. Together with 13 artists from 3 continents, we experimented with new ways of collaborating virtually using a gamified approach and engaging audiences across geographical boundaries.

I accidentally made a film!

After receiving funding from the African Culture Fund to write and direct a play, COVID hit and theatres worldwide shut down. I pivoted, and adapted the play for the screen. Never did I imagine that this low-budget film would be shown in festivals far and wide, from Australia, to Canada, US, São Tomé and beyond, even picking up a few awards here and there in the Experimental, Audience Awards and Best African Film categories. I also adapted the play into a 3-part radio drama series.

Here is the blurb: In this humorous and biting film, an eclectic group of people living in Nairobi gathers over Zoom for a court-ordered anger management class. As they swap stories and trade barbs, deeper issues about social justice and the inequalities of living in urban African centres come to light.

A short filmed adaptation of an extract from the novel by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim. Acting & Direction.

The novel, set largely in the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria, depicts an unusual salacious affair between the 55-year old widow Hajiya Binta and the 26-year old drug dealer and local gang leader Reza. Season of Crimson Blossoms is an adult fiction debut novel by Nigerian writer and journalist Abubakar Adam Ibrahim. I was commissioned by Zukiswa Wanner, founder and director of LitAfrica, to adapt, perform and direct an extract of the novel. It was first screened at the Strauhof Museum in Zurich in June 2023.

A theatrical adaptation based on the novel by Nigerian author Lola Shoneyin.

A story of deception and betrayal, and also of love and friendship. Four women with the same husband each share their stories as he tries to reveal the mystery behind the infertility of his fourth wife. Through this search we explore the restrictions that society imposes on women and their bodies, and the cunning ways in which they overcome the limitations of poverty, violence and patriarchy.

Author and performer.

Young Shela is forced to go on an arduous journey across the Atlantic to find her parents after slave traders kidnap them from their home. She is given special powers, which she uses to remind all those she meets scattered across various continents that Africa will always be their home.

(in development)

When an unscrupulous leader sells the waters of the Nubiya River to a foreign company, two young heroes must fulfill an ancient prophesy to save their community.

WATA (pidgin English for Water) is a stage play designed for families that highlights the power of community. Drawing from rich African mythologies and centering environmental stewardship, audiences are invited on a journey to discover the inspiring stories of real-life women heroes who fought for freedom. Through drama and humor, WATA places African history and culture center-forward and seeks to foster connections with the global Black Diaspora and indigenous communities. Alongside the play's development, an educational toolkit is being crafted to address climate crisis challenges with practical solutions appropriate for young audiences.

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