Stylistic elements in the praise poetry of Chief Adolphus Munamuna, ọụbẹbẹ kẹnị Ịjọ ibe (the chief oral poet of the Ịjọ nation)

Abstract

This article focuses on the language of the praise poetry of Chief Adolphus Munamuna of the Ịzọn ethnic group, located in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region. It examines the extent to which the Ịjọ bard makes use of such stylistic devices as parallelism, ideophone, praise title, metaphor, simile, alliteration, assonance, and personification, amongst others. The article points out that the Otuan-born poet deliberately contrives elements of style to achieve balance, develop ideas and build up his chants. Moreover, the article highlights that some of the stylistic devices add drama and liveliness to the performances of the bard. In addition, the poetic qualities provide a musical element to the chants, as well as vividness to the events described.