Assessment of the Role of Yoruba Travelling Theatre in Cultural Preservation in Oyo State

Yoruba travelling theatre emerged as a dynamic popular performance tradition that carried indigenous cultural values across communities in South West Nigeria, and its continued relevance as a cultural preservation mechanism in contemporary Oyo State deserves systematic inquiry. This study assessed the role of Yoruba travelling theatre groups in preserving cultural heritage in Ibadan North and Ogbomoso Local Government Areas, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. A descriptive qualitative design was employed, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 active travelling theatre practitioners, 8 cultural officers, and 20 audience members. Observation sessions at four theatre performances were documented using field notes and audio recordings. Results showed that travelling theatre companies consistently embedded Yoruba proverbs, rituals, festivals, and oral traditions within dramatic narratives, transmitting cultural knowledge to younger audiences who rarely accessed formal cultural institutions. However, practitioners reported declining patronage from younger demographics, attributing this to competition from digital entertainment platforms. Three of the four observed groups had reduced annual touring schedules by over 50 percent in the preceding five years. Female representation in leadership roles was limited to one of the 12 interviewed practitioners. Economic pressures were identified as the primary threat to the tradition's continuity. The study concludes that Yoruba travelling theatre retains significant cultural preservation value but requires institutional support to survive. Recommendations include state government sponsorship for touring schedules, documentation of performances for archival purposes, and integration of travelling theatre content into secondary school cultural studies curricula in Oyo State.