At the request of the Alake of Abeokuta, Ogunde performed "The Garden of Eden" at the Ake Centenary Hall. Encouraged by the success of the play, he went on to write more operas. He wrote and co-directed three religious-themed plays: "Africa and God" (1944), a folk opera infused with Yoruba cultural themes than were non-existent in The Garden of Eden, "Israel in Egypt" (1945) and "Nebuchadnezzar's Reign and Belshazzar's Feast" (1945). In 1946, he resigned his post with the police to become a professional dramatist.