Reputed for his strategic theatre productions, Joseph Edgar, also known as The Duke of Shomolu, is set to stage Kashimawo, a new perspective to the late business mogul and June 12 acclaimed winner, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola’s story.

From Our Duke Has Gone Mad Again to Awo, Saduana, Emir Sanusi, Isale Eko, Emotan, Ogiame Erejuwa II and Ufok Ibaan, Edgar, a former investment banker, has proven that his productions are worth the stage given the painstaking efforts put into them.

If you were at the Nicon Hilton Abuja some time ago to see Saduana or the Obafemi Awolowo Civic Centre, Ado Ekiti, last November to see Fajuyi, two epic and enthralling plays by his production outfit, the Duke of Shomolu Foundation, you will, without hesitation, appreciate the creative ingenuity of the outfit; from the writer, cast, crew, director and producer.

Written and to be directed by Professor Rasaki Ojo Bakare, first professor of Choreography and Performing Aesthetics in Nigeria; a former Dean of Postgraduate School, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, former Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director, Abuja Carnival and member National Academy of Letters, the play will grace the stages on March 31 and April 1, at the Agip Recital Hall, Muson Centre Lagos.

According to Edgar, settling down for Kashimawo was a difficult task because of the many stories that needed to be told. He, however, assured that the play, which is executive produced by his wife, Mofoluwake Edgar, who is gradually handling affairs of the company, is going to be different from what has been out there.

He said, “The Kashimawo we are doing is not June 12. We are trying not to be obvious. When we did Awo, people thought they were coming to see Awolowo, but it was the wife, mama H.I.D they saw. That woman used Awo to live her life.

“She was so powerful. Many people don’t know she was the first woman to hold a broom at a political rally, which today is a symbol the All Progressive Congress (APC) is parading around now. She was sweeping her shop when they said Nnamdi Azikiwe had arrived and she unconsciously ran to the rally with her broom to meet Zik and she held that broom throughout the rally. She was the first to merge political parties from the East and West of the country,” Edgar added.

He continued, “For Kashimawo, that is MKO Abiola, we are not going to talk about June 12 at all. We are going to start from when he was born and the spirituality around his birth. We are going to go deep into Yoruba mythology. We are going to D.O. Fagunwa’s forest to bring all the Yoruba gods, the incantations and proverbs; we are going to look for the meanings of the proverbs.

“Every other thing he did after Scotland, he had fulfilled his destiny in life and that is why he died the way he did because his time had come. So, it is going to be a very deep traditional story that will bring out the spirituality of Kashimawo.”

Riding on the success of its many productions, especially Fajuyi, the most recent, the Duke of Shomolu Production is also using Kashimawo to trail the spiritual trend among Nigerian leaders that nobody has been able to look into.

“For us in Kashimawo, I want to know why a man who was richer than Dangote died the way he died. He had a private jet in 1972 and he was the first man in Africa to employ a white pilot, he paid £500,000 in 1972. I want to know why he was more powerful than heads of states, why he insisted against his wife’s advice to make that ultimate sacrifice. It is that play that we want to show this Easter,” Edgar concluded.