“Never Sweep at Night”: An Example of Igbo Traditional Children's Theatre in the Digital Era

Igbo Traditional Children’s Theatre has long been a vital tool for entertainment, information, education, and cultural preservation within Igbo communities. It is rooted in music, dance, and dramatic performances and serves as a medium for imparting moral lessons, fostering communal identity and building strong social relationship among children. However, the rise of digital media presents serious challenges, as well as paradoxically creates opportunities for its survival. This paper explores how the digital era is reshaping Igbo traditional children's theatre, highlighting the decline of oral storytelling due to modern entertainment, urbanization, and globalization. It also examines the potential of using digital tools, such as animation, mobile apps, virtual reality, YouTube and social media to revitalize and sustain this cultural heritage. This study strongly argues that by integrating traditional performance elements into digital platforms, Igbo children's theatre can remain relevant, reaching wider audiences both in Nigeria and the diaspora. The study anchors on two theories: Walter Ong and Ruth Finnegan’s Oral Traditional and Performance Theory and Marshal McLuhan and Neil Postman’s Cultural Preservation and Media Ecology Theory. It concludes that strategic efforts from educators, cultural organizations, and digital content creators are essential in ensuring the continuity of Igbo traditional children's theatre in a rapidly evolving world.