It was in 1977 when South African musical production Ipi Tombi was staged at the National Theatre in Lagos.

The world-acclaimed musical made a lasting impression among Nigerians. Forty years later, a Nigerian musical production has made it to a South African stage on a cultural exchange arrangement.

Kakadu- The Musical opened yesterday at the Joburg Theatre. It is the first time that a Nigerian production has been staged locally.

The show, based on a popular club in Lagos called Kakadu, made its debut in the Nigerian city in 2013 before touring Switzerland in 2015.

The show captures Nigeria's history from independence to the present day, according to writer and producer Uche Nwokedi. It boasts a strong plot, great music and exciting dance moves.

Nwokedi, a lawyer by profession, says Kakadu is inspired by three things: the music he grew up listening to, the difficulties that Nigeria has experienced during political upheavals, and the desire to mentor young people using drama and music.

The production infuses a blend of music styles, ranging from Anglo-American pop and soul, Afrobeat, traditional Igbo, Yoruba and Juju music.

"Kakadu features a lot of music that was played in the 1960s, part of it is political.

The music traces our political evolution. When Nigeria got independence we tried to be Europeans. As time went by, people started to be aware of their cultures and a new music came out," says Nwokedi.

He defines the show as a celebration and a historical assessment that take you down memory lane. "This is not purely a Nigerian story. It resonates across Africa, because it talks about military coups, ethnic issues and governance issues."

He believes staging it in South Africa will teach locals something about the country.