Three Nigerian Musical Theatre Performers Receive LAMDA Certificates At Champions Concert

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 Three Nigerian musical theatre performers have been awarded the prestigious Level 3 Certificate in Musical Theatre (Grade 8) by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) at the 2026 edition of the Champions Concert held in Lagos. 

The event, organised to celebrate and amplify the voices of emerging musical theatre talents, took place on May 31, 2026, at the MUSON Centre, Lagos. Beyond the presentation of certificates, the concert also provided a platform for the award recipients and other performers to showcase their artistic skills through musical performances. 

The annual Champions Concert has become a tradition where Nigerian musical theatre artists who successfully complete LAMDA examinations are recognised for their achievements. This year’s edition saw three outstanding performers honoured for attaining the internationally recognised qualification. 

Speaking at the event, Nigerian composer, music director, librettist and conductor, Kehinde Oretimehin, popularly known as Omokabies, explained that the initiative was designed to promote excellence in musical theatre and expose Nigerian performers to international standards. 

According to him, the concert began last year with the presentation of certificates to the first set of successful candidates, while this year’s edition recognised three additional performers, including David Favour and Nneamaka Nwadei. 

Reflecting on his journey in musical theatre, Oretimehin noted that when he joined the industry in 2013, he observed a gap in formal musical education among performers. This inspired him to establish the Association of Musical Theatre Artists (AMTA), through which training sessions and classes were organised, including programmes hosted at the British Council. 

He said the association subsequently introduced members to internationally recognised examinations such as LAMDA to ensure Nigerian performers could compete favourably on the global stage. 

“Today’s concert brought together friends and colleagues who are musically inclined. Some of them chose to perform old-school songs to remind us of where we started from. Many of these friends have been part of my life for over 40 years,” he said. 

He added that the association plans to embark on more theatrical productions and release songs on streaming platforms in the coming months. 

The concert attracted audiences, including performers, theatre enthusiasts and longtime associates of Oretimehin, many of whom entertained guests with renditions of popular classic songs. 

One of the guest performers, Franca Medese, expressed delight at being part of the event. 

“We are here for an amazing concert. I performed the song ‘From a Distance’ and I am happy to have had the opportunity to share it with the audience tonight,” she said. 

Other performers at the event included Fredrick Aikhait, Joan Edidem, Ejiogu Mary, Odedeyi Esther Temitope, Okunade Phoebe Chizaram, Hope Akingbade, Sunday Zubair, Adeola Opeyemi David and Evelyn Omokosi. 

Speaking after receiving her certificate, Nneamaka Nwadei described the rigorous process involved in obtaining the qualification. 

She explained that she took the examination in 2025, noting that candidates were required to demonstrate both theoretical and practical knowledge of musical theatre. 

“The examination was divided into different stages. We had to select songs from musicals across different eras, present monologues from various characters and perform musical pieces. The goal was to assess both our practical performance abilities and theoretical understanding of musical theatre,” she said. 

According to her, parts of the examination were recorded at the MUSON Centre and submitted to LAMDA, while other assessments were conducted virtually. 

Nwadei, who holds first and second degrees in Theatre Arts and currently works as a performing artist and thespian, said the examination helped identify areas where she could further improve her craft.