The Bradford African Festival of Arts (BAFA) 2026 has concluded following six days of music, film, theatre, fashion, visual arts and live cultural programming across the city, with music artist and producer Tope Dada playing a significant role in the festival's creative and production delivery.
Tope Dada served as Music Director and Performance Director, while also contributing across artist management, artist relations, stage management, music production and live event production.
Through Tope Dada Productions, he worked across multiple areas of the festival, helping coordinate artists, musicians, performances and production requirements throughout the six-day programme.
His involvement reflected a combination of creative and operational experience developed over more than 25 years across music, performance and event production.
“NKOSOO”: The Sound of BAFA 2026
One of Tope Dada's most prominent creative contributions was the official BAFA 2026 theme song, “NKOSOO.”
Tope Dada wrote, composed and produced the song, which was performed during the opening ceremony by the BAFA Children, alongside Shola Adebayo and Freke.
The title, “NKOSOO,” is associated with progress and advancement, aligning with the central theme of the 2026 festival and its focus on cultural development, creativity and forward movement.
The song also continued Tope Dada's contribution to BAFA's musical identity following his involvement with the festival's music and thematic production in 2025.
Music and Performance Direction
Music and live performance represented a substantial part of Tope Dada's responsibilities during the festival.
As Music Director and Performance Director, he was involved in performer selection, artist relations, musical arrangements, instrumentalist coordination and the direction of live performances.
According to the festival's production structure, 34 artists were coordinated for performances during the 2026 programme.
Coordinating a programme of that scale required extensive communication between artists, musicians, production personnel and programme leads, ensuring that individual performances could be integrated into the wider festival schedule.
Tope Dada's role therefore extended beyond musical direction to the practical coordination required to deliver live performances.
Supporting Film and Theatre Programming
Tope Dada's contribution was not limited to the music programme.
He also worked alongside Chris Iheuwa, BAFA Film and Theatre Director, in aspects of the festival's film and theatre programme.
His involvement included participating in film screening and selection activities, reviewing submissions, contributing to nominations and supporting the process that led to the selection of the winning film.
He also contributed to the production of award snippets supporting the wider programme.
The involvement demonstrated the multidisciplinary nature of his contribution to BAFA, extending from music production into film, theatre and wider festival programming.
A Major Production Role at Centenary Square
The festival's major outdoor programme at Centenary Square, Bradford, on Saturday, 8 August, presented one of the most demanding production environments of the six-day festival.
For the event, Tope Dada took on multiple responsibilities as Stage Manager, Artist Manager, Artist Relations Lead and Event Producer.
His responsibilities included coordinating performers and artists, managing the running order, overseeing stage transitions, coordinating instrumentalists and supporting the wider technical and production operation.
He worked alongside members of the wider BAFA production team, including Ned Archibong, Carl Dovi and Daniel Okezue, as preparations moved from planning to live delivery.
The Centenary Square programme brought together artists, musicians, performers, creatives and members of the public for one of the festival's largest outdoor celebrations of African arts and culture.
Coordinating a Festival Across Multiple Venues
BAFA 2026 operated across a number of venues and public spaces in Bradford, including the University of Bradford, Darley Street, National Science and Media Museum, Centenary Square, Event Place and Bradford Arts Centre.
The breadth of the programme required coordination across different artistic disciplines and production environments.
Tope Dada worked within a wider team that included creative and production professionals such as Jumoke Muritala, Bola Stephen-Atitebi, Kenneth Uphopho, Kasha Hibbert, Immanuel Obani and Chris Iheuwa, alongside the broader BAFA leadership, production and volunteer teams.
The multi-venue structure meant that the festival's creative and operational teams had to work across different locations while maintaining continuity across the programme.
Working Across Creativity and Production
For Tope Dada, BAFA 2026 brought together several areas of his professional experience within a single large-scale cultural production.
His responsibilities covered:
Music direction
Performance direction
Composition
Music production
Artist management
Artist relations
Stage management
Live event production
Performer coordination
Musical arrangements
Production management
The combination of these responsibilities placed him at the intersection of the creative and operational sides of the festival.
While performers and headline artists remain the most visible part of a live event, the successful delivery of a large programme depends heavily on the coordination taking place away from the spotlight.
Behind the Scenes of BAFA 2026
Delivering a multidisciplinary festival requires more than assembling a programme of artists.
It involves coordinating performers, musicians, production crews, venues, schedules, technical requirements and communications while ensuring that each element works within the overall structure of the event.
Tope Dada's contribution formed part of this behind-the-scenes infrastructure.
His work involved supporting artists before and during performances, coordinating the movement of performers and musicians, managing stage requirements and helping translate the festival's creative plans into live experiences for audiences.
Acknowledging BAFA's Leadership
Tope Dada acknowledged Dr Olushola Adeborode Kolawole (Dr OAK), Founder, Convener and Festival Director of BAFA, for the opportunity to contribute to the 2026 edition.
His involvement with the festival represents another collaboration within Bradford's growing creative and cultural ecosystem, bringing together music, performance, film, theatre and community engagement.
Tope Dada Productions and Live Experiences
Through Tope Dada Productions, Tope Dada continues to develop work spanning music, live experiences and creative production.
His BAFA 2026 role reflects an increasingly multidisciplinary professional profile in which the work of an artist extends beyond performance itself into production, direction, artist development and live-event management.
The festival provided an opportunity to apply those different skills within one of Bradford's major celebrations of African culture.
BAFA 2026: A Collaborative Production
The successful delivery of BAFA 2026 was ultimately the result of a wider collaborative effort involving artists, filmmakers, theatre practitioners, musicians, creative directors, producers, coordinators, volunteers and technical teams.
Tope Dada's contribution represented one part of that broader production network.
From creating the “NKOSOO” theme song and directing music and performances to coordinating artists and managing elements of the Centenary Square programme, his responsibilities demonstrated the range of professional expertise required behind a major cultural festival.
Looking Beyond the Stage
BAFA 2026 provided Tope Dada with an opportunity to contribute not only as a music artist and producer, but also as a director, event producer and production professional.
His involvement highlights the increasingly interconnected nature of music, live performance and cultural event production, where creative leadership and operational delivery must work together.
As the Bradford African Festival of Arts continues to develop, the contribution of professionals working behind the scenes will remain central to its ability to deliver ambitious programmes and create meaningful experiences for audiences.
The conclusion of BAFA 2026 therefore marks not only another successful festival edition, but also another opportunity to recognise the extensive creative and production work that takes place before the lights come on and the performances begin.
0 Comments