Dr Mohammed ben Abdallah, celebrated Ghanaian playwright, theatre scholar, and former government official, has passed away at the age of 81.
Family sources confirmed that Dr Abdallah died on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
His daughter, Dr Akosua Abdallah, a lecturer at the University of Ghana and veteran actress, announced his passing in a social media post on Friday.
In line with Islamic tradition, he will be buried on Friday after Jumu’ah prayers in Kumasi, with a three-day Dua scheduled to follow.
Arrangements for memorial events in Accra will be announced later, the family indicated.
Born on April 25, 1944, in Kumasi, Dr Abdallah trained as a teacher at Wesley College, Kumasi, before earning a diploma in Drama and Theatre Studies from the University of Ghana, Legon.
He pursued further studies in the United States, obtaining a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Theatre Arts from the University of Georgia in 1976, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Theatre Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980.
Dr Abdallah was a central figure in Ghana’s performing arts sector, playing a leading role in the establishment of the National Theatre of Ghana.
He supervised its construction, developed its organizational structure, and helped create the National Drama Company, National Dance Company, and the Pan-African Orchestra. He also served as Head of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana.
He was widely known for his distinctive theatrical style, which fused African traditional performance with European dramatic techniques, often exploring themes of colonial and postcolonial experience.
Among his acclaimed works are The Trial of Mallam Ilya, Verdict of the Cobra, The Slaves, and The Fall of Kumbi.
He was also the author of the collections The Trial of Mallam Ilya and Other Plays (1987) and Land of A Million Magicians (1993).
Outside the arts, Dr Abdallah served as Secretary for Education and Culture under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), where he oversaw the introduction of the National Education Reform Programme aimed at improving access to quality education.
The family has requested prayers for the repose of his soul.
