Earlier this year, on April 20, something important happened in Kumasi.
The team behind the beloved satirical courtroom series Kejetia vs Makola, led by Liezer-Legacy Productions in collaboration with the Kumawood Ashanti Film Association (KAFA), brought live theatre back to the city with a performance titled Judas vs Jesus.
People came expecting jokes and entertainment. What they got was something deeper, a reminder of what Ashanti theatre felt like when it was alive.
The laughter, the storytelling, the crowd reactions, it all felt familiar and new at the same time. When the curtain closed that night, people were already asking when the next show would happen.
That question was answered on Sunday, October 26, at the CCB Auditorium, KNUST, when the team returned with the second edition of the Ashanti Dramalogue. This time, they staged a new courtroom performance titled Akwaaba vs Oobakɛ, another original story told in the signature Kejetia vs Makola style, bold, witty, honest, and proudly Ashanti.
More Than a Show – A Step Toward Rebuilding an Industry
This revival did not happen by chance.
When the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, took office, he made it clear that the creative arts in the region needed more than praise, they needed structure. He helped initiate and support the formation of KAFA to unite actors, directors, writers, musicians, and crew members under one coordinated body.
But every institution needed a home. That was what this show was about.
The proceeds from Akwaaba vs Oobakɛ went toward securing a permanent office complex for KAFA, a place for meetings, productions, mentorship, and growth.
Bringing People Together to Make It Work
In the lead-up to the performance, a small delegation of artists, including Judge Louis Lamis, Akabenezer, Nana Gyasi Owusu, and Emmanuel Opoku Anane, visited key leaders across the city. They met the Mayor of Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional NDC Chairman, businessman Ibrahim Mahama, and former President John Mahama.
The meetings were not political; they were about something often overlooked, openly seeking support for the arts. The team received encouragement, goodwill, and shared hope that this effort would continue to grow.
Why It Mattered
There was a time when Kumawood was more than entertainment, it was culture. It shaped language, humour, and identity. The talent never disappeared; it only needed a place to gather again.
This performance, and the office it helped to build, marked a genuine step toward that revival.
Sometimes, big things return quietly, not with fanfare, but with people showing up.