Oba Koso

Oba Koso is a folk opera by Nigerian dramatist Duro Ladipo, first performed in 1963. The title translates to "The King Did Not Hang." Ladipo's innovative operas, including Oba Koso, are based on Yoruba history and incorporate traditional rhythms and poetry performed on indigenous instruments.1

Ladipo aimed for his operas to be authentic cultural and historical records, differing from earlier Yoruba operas that were often moral tales based on biblical stories or folktales. Oba Koso was highly successful, earning Ladipo a Nigerian government citation for cultural achievement and popularity in both Europe and the United States. This work is a significant example of Nigerian theatre, which often draws from historical or mythological accounts derived from oral tradition.123