Compound explores the complexities of Northern Nigerian society, offering a reimagined narrative that transforms sectarian chaos into a story of healing and unity.

The piece blends traditional and contemporary music, dance, and fashion, collecting the history of Kaduna to create a dance that evokes nostalgia and fosters communal cohesion. By sharing the region’s rich cultural heritage with the world, Compound aims to reclaim Northern Nigeria’s identity—especially that of Kaduna—from the narrative of conflict, establishing it as a space of beauty and coexistence.

The city of Kaduna has endured a history of ethno-religious conflict and remains physically divided into two regions: Muslim in the North and Christian in the South, separated by a river and a bridge. Compound directly confronts this division by metaphorically becoming a bridge that unites. The work is built upon the notion that the future of Kaduna lies in the past, specifically recalling the local housing style popularly known as “face me I face you” or “Compound,” where diverse people coexisted.

Since its creation, the performance has been performed in multiple Nigerian cities and has toured West Africa, successfully sharing its message of unity and cohesion across the continent.