An Assessment of Community Engagement Through Street Theatre in Ibadan, Oyo State

Street theatre, as a form of applied and participatory performance, has been deployed in Nigerian communities for public education, social commentary, and community mobilisation, and its effectiveness as a community engagement tool in urban Ibadan merits assessment. This study assessed the effectiveness of street theatre as a community engagement mechanism in selected communities in Ibadan North and Ibadan South West Local Government Areas, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. A descriptive mixed-methods design was employed, combining observation of six street theatre performances from three different troupes, structured interviews with twelve performers and six community development officers, and post-performance surveys administered to 180 audience members. Audience surveys assessed message comprehension, emotional impact, and stated intention to act on issues raised. Results showed that 84.4 percent of audience members felt the performances effectively communicated their intended messages, with humour and audience participation identified as the most effective engagement techniques. Issues addressed included domestic violence (33.3 percent of observed performances), waste management (33.3 percent), and child education (33.3 percent). Post-performance discussion facilitation was provided in only 50 percent of observed events, limiting conversion of engagement to community action. Female audience members showed higher receptivity to domestic violence-themed performances. The study concludes that street theatre is an effective but underfunded community engagement tool in Ibadan and recommends sustained government and NGO patronage, performance documentation, and impact evaluation frameworks for community theatre practitioners in Oyo State.

Keywords: street theatre, community engagement, applied theatre, Ibadan, social communication