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EGWUIKPEM ỤMỤNWANYỊ: IMPLICATIONS ON CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SOCIETAL 

WELLNESS IN IGBO CULTURE 

 

Ibekwe, Eunice U. 

Department of Music 

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 

& 

Umeugochukwu, Raphael I. 

Department of Music 

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 

 

Abstract  

This work examines the role of Egwuikpem ụmụnwanyị in enhancing societal stability in Igbo culture. 

This is achieved through the collection and analysis of various egwuikpem of women of which are 

rendered to satirize ailing, straying or wayward women and persons involved in other types of social 

vices in the society. It employed both primary and secondary sources of data collection which personal 

interviews, participant – observation method and review of literatures. The Egwuikpem in discourse 

include majorly those of Anaocha and Aguata local government areas in Anambra State. The discourse 

is anchored on social control theory which states that crime is merely the result of unsupervised anti-

social behaviour which can be reduced with some sort of control. It was discovered that egwuikpem 

ụmụnwanyị really serves as a very effective instrument in checking people’s excesses and a good 

deterrent to unaccepted behaviours among women folk and the society at large. The ability to reduce 

vices increases its potency of ensuring societal wellness. On the other hand, it interrogates the lop-

sidedness it poses in a bid to maintain social stability. Therefore, it is recommended that our 

traditional music whose essence is to ensure societal stability be encouraged, and also taking into 

consideration the equal application of egwuikpem ụmụnwanyị and egwuikpem ụmụnwoke to maintain a 

balance. 

Keywords:  Egwuikpem, conflict and conflict resolution, societal wellness or stability, social control 

 

Introduction  

Societal wellness and stability is very vital for harmonious co-existence in any traditional or 

contemporary environment. People institute laws to guide people’s excessive behaviours and in most 

cases take legal action against offenders. In primordial Igbo traditional society, many institutions 

are established to ensure relative peace and stability among citizenry. These institutions include: -

ụmụnna, ụmụada / ụmụọkpụ, ndị nze na ọzọ, ndị ichie, ndị nwunye di / inyom di, and in some cases even 

the masquerades are employed. All these various groups operate at different levels of authority. 

Punishments are administered according to the gravity of offence, ranging from constructive advice, 

caution, reprimand, satire, to physical punishment or fine and in some cases ostracism, banishment 

and exile become imminent as the case with Okonkwo in Achebe’s (1958) Things fall Apart. As 

exemplified above, both men and women institutions are involved in the enforcement of law and order 

in any Igbo traditional society. While men are concerned with more serious cases which may be 

political -such as leadership tussles, land disputes, managerial incompetence and mismanagement of 

group’s assets, cultural - such as breaking of norms, ethos and values or socio-economical - such as 

civil unrest, child abuse, sexual abuse, rape, incest, fraud and so on. The authority of women is most 

significant in resolving domestic affairs and vices such as quarrelling, fighting, backbiting, role 



 

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negligence, gossips, waywardness, alcoholism, stealing and in some occasions meddle into cases that 

defy men’s solution. When women are mentioned in this work it implies both the ụmụada and the inyom 

di, though institutionally, ụmụada exercise stronger authority than ndiinyom di in taking decisions. 

Women unlike the men folk enjoy dual recognition or citizenship in Igbo society. In her father’s house 

she is a daughter – ada, whereas in her husband’s place she is a wife - nwunye. Their collective names 

then become ụmụada for daughters and ndinwunye di or ndiinyom di for wives. Women in most cases 

consider the use of song more effective than setting up a jury when it involves scandal and men 

respect their authority. The fact that every traditional Igbo person (or Africa in general) is born 

with some measure of musical instinct is made manifest when it comes to egwuikpem. When it comes 

to egwuikpem, everybody becomes a composer.  

 

Clarification of Terms 

Egwuikpem:  Egwu here means music or song. Ikpem denotes satire. Therefore, Egwuikpem is a satiric 

music in song form designed specifically to cast aspersion on any person who is continuously in the 

habit of committing a particular crime or has remained a deviant in Igbo society. Egwuikpem 

ụmụnwanyị therefore represents those satirical songs meant to address women vices. There are 

certain acts which society frowns at, how much more coming from a woman. Such includes, stealing, a 

wife who is a habitual late cook, indulging in abortion, waywardness, harlotry and so on. This goes on 

to support Obika (2017) who avers that “Igbo people from then till now have certain expectations 

from women…no woman even today is expected to be rough or be a rogue” (p. 18).  Although men are 

not excluded when it comes to egwuikpem but it does not appear in the same proportion to those of 

women. Egwuikpem is most commonly used by women on notorious persons when all other measures 

applied in correcting them have failed to yield positive result. This use of pun languages, bitter satires 

or scathing remarks is considered the last option as its deformative implication normally sink skin 

deep on the bearer. Any person stung with such ridiculous rendition carries the stigma for life, and 

for that reason, it is normally avoided by every meaningful person in Igbo society. Udoh (2012) 

observes similar situation among Annang people of Akwa-Ibom State. In his report, “in Ebre music 

only women of good character are admitted into it. It restrains the conduct of women as when a 

woman who is a thief is ridiculed in songs and paraded through the village by the society” (p. 127). 

Egwuikpem is never palatable as far as women folk is concern because such a woman has lost her 

honour and credibility in the society. It is equally considered a dent on the husband’s reputation and 

even worse in a situation where the man is a title holder. Umụada uses egwuikpem as their greatest 

weapon on anybody be it a man or a woman who maltreats his or her mother to death or the mother 

suffers abandonment or a situation where a man maltreats his wife to death. On the day of the 

woman’s burial many egwuikpem will take on the stage. Nwafor, (2013) reports a similar incident in 

Amaokpala Orumba Local Government Area where a son abandoned her mother when she was sick and 

was left to die in that poor situation. On the day of her burial, the ụmụada demanded that the man 

danced to the insulting and derogatory music of ikpem publicly, which the man eventually obliged 

before the burial activities could continue. In this type of situation, the wealth of a person is 

inconsequential and does not absolve the offender from the associated ridicule. The researchers 

observed a similar incident at Igboukwu where a woman died and her children did not consider given 

her a worthwhile and befitting burial due to family crises. The ụmụada took it up and each time they 

were at any burial; they would be singing with the names of that woman’s children to remind them 

that they have not yet given their mother a befitting burial. Two of such songs include; 

 



 

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i. ONYE KWALU NNE YA 

Onye kwalu nne ya, akwa n’onyakw’ogene,                               onya ogene o, onya ogene 

Onye kwalu nne ya, akwa n’onyakw’ogene,                               onya ogene o, onya ogene 

 

Whoever gives his/her mother a befitting burial, wears a sounding gong 

 

Onye akwaghi nne ya n’onyakwo mkpume                                 onya mkpume o, onya mkpume  

Onye akwaghi nne ya n’onyakwo mkpume                                 onya mkpume o, onya mkpume 

 

Whoever does not give to his/her mother a befitting burial, wears a heavy stone  

 

Nwanne  gaa kwa nne gi k’inyal’ogene                            onya ogene o, onya ogene 

My brother/sister go and give your mother her burial rite so that you wear a sounding gong 

 

Igne gaa kwaa nne gi k’inyal’ogene                                        onya ogene o, onya ogene 

Ignatius go and give your mother her burial rite and wear a sounding gong 

 

 

Nwakasi ga kwaa nne gi k’inyal’ogene                                onya ogene o, onya ogene 

Nwakasi go and give your mother her burial rite and wear a sounding gong 

 

Onye akwaghi nne ya n’onyakwo nnabi, onya nnabi o, onya nnabi 

Onye akwaghi nne ya n’onyakwo nnabi, onya nnabi o, onya nnabi 

Whoever does not give to his/her mother a befitting burial, is an anathema 

 

 



 

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ii. ALUFO 

 

Alụfọ gị bịa fụlụ ụmụnne gi                                                  Alụfọ gị bịa fụlụ ụmụnne gi  

Alpho (Alphonsus) come and see your relations (2ice)   

 

Umenzekwe gị bịa fụlụ ụmụnne gi                              Alụfọ gị bịa fụlụ ụmụnne gi 

Umenzekwe come and see your relations                             Alpho come and see your relations 

 

Ogboodiye gị bịa fụlụ ụmụnne gi                                  Alụfọ gị bịa fụlụ ụmụnne gi 

Ogboodiye come and see your relations                               Alpho come and see your relations 

 

Onye lụlụ ụnọ enu ma ọkwaghị nne ya akwa                      Alụfọ gị bịa fụlụ ụmụnne gi 

He has a duplex but has not done his mother’s funeral,      Alpho come and see your relations 

 

O nwelu moto n’abọ ma ọkwaghị nne ya akwa                   Alụfọ gị bịa fụlụ ụmụnne gi 

He has two cars but has not done his mother’s funeral        Alpho come and see your relations 

 



 

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What the first song is saying is that whoever that gives his/her mother a befitting burial wears a 

sounding gong (an honourable insignia) and is not hidden in shame. They can talk anyhow anywhere in 

public without being challenged or molested. On the other hand, the person that did not give his/her 



 

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mother a befitting burial is said to have worn heavy stone (mark of contempt) and is covered with 

shame in such a way that he/she cannot talk anyhow in public without receiving a slight from people. 

This happens mostly when the people concerned are capable of doing it but for one reason or the 

other they failed to give their mother her necessary burial rites. The cause of this delay (as said 

earlier) at times may be as a result of quarrel or dispute arising from the children of the deceased 

which results that each of them retires to his/her own house. So with the above song which awaits 

them each time they attend burial ceremony around their place they will find a way of resolving their 

problems and then get out of the scornful songs. This is where the power of women is held supreme 

because in a bid to avoid this ridicule and scornful situation, peaceful co-existence is maintained in 

families. 

   

The second song is more specific than the first because the names of the people concerned are being 

mentioned in the song. The name of the most affluent of the deceased children is more frequently 

used because it was expected that he should do the funeral being the wealthiest among his siblings.  

  

Conflict and Conflict Resolution 

Conflict in a simple language means disagreement. Nwadialor and Uzoigwe (2013) aver that, “conflict 

means contradictions arising from differences in interest, ideas, ideologies, orientations, perceptions, 

phenomena, and tendencies” (p. 67). When there is conflict, there is friction, strife, insecurity, crises, 

chaos and disorder. Conflict can be micro - involving domestic or family matters. It can as well be 

macro affecting the entire societal framework such as political quagmire, social insecurity, cultural 

and economic crises or different kinds of disputes which result in societal instability. Conflict 

resolution on the other hand, implies keeping or maintaining orderliness and peace between two people 

or among different disagreeing or warring groups so that they come to terms with each other. In 

traditional setup, conflicts can be resolved on individual or group bases depending on the nature or 

gravity of the conflict. Egwuikpem is quite different from most songs of criticisms witnessed among 

various musicians of this present dispensation which most time are enshrouded in ulterior motive.  

According to Idamoyibo (2012) “the present day critics, attack government so that they could be 

noticed and appeased with political appointments, to enable them loot public treasury and forever 

keep quiet” (p. 102). Egwuikpem is purely a corrective criticism,- a sort of corrective measure with no 

personal interest attached and rendered without fear or favour not minding whose ox is gored. Ezeuko 

in Obi (2009) observes that, “ụmụọkpụ in every Igbo community apart from other functions, play the 

role of settling all family, village and town differences. When any conflict proved tough to settle 

ụmụọkpụ is always the last resort especially the conflict between husband and wife” (pp. 264-265).It 

could be seen even from political narratives that women are better instrument of social control and 

crises management than men. Ojiakor (2009) points out that, “among the Igbo of Nigeria, the umuada 

legislated on matters that defied solution by men” (p. 145) she identifies some other areas where 

women, apart from playing domestic role distinguish themselves in matters of insurgencies and 

colonial autocratic administration. These include Aba women’s riot, Lagos Market Women’s 

Association, Abeokuta Women’s Union among others. The main purpose of forming the above 

mentioned groups was to protest against women inclusion in tax payment proposed by colonial 

administrators. In most of these marches towards expression of grievances by these different 

women’s groups, music is the factorizing agent through which they chant and made their grievances 

known.  

 



 

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Societal stability and wellness 

Society involves or constitutes of people of different formations and characters, inhabiting a 

particular space, and guided by a common cultural institution.  For one to appreciate social or societal 

stability and wellness one must have been exposed to or experienced some level of instabilities and 

insecurities either as an individual or as a group. There are so many ways one can face challenges of 

insecurity in ones lives endeavour. It could be health challenges, insecurity in one’s place of work, job 

insecurity and so on. It may be domestic or family issues from children’s restiveness, husband’s or 

wife’s insubordination or infidelity, it might as well involve extended family intrusion crises. 

Instability and or insecurity operating on societal level may include some of the following: - land 

disputes and political crises, herdsmen devastation and insurgency, kidnapping, robbery, rape, incest, 

epidemics or pandemic, hunger and so on. All these deplorable situations are what create unhealthy 

living among people. A society that enjoys social stability is considered healthy because those social 

vices that endanger the life of citizenry which had been identified above are absent or reduced to 

the barest minimum. Michael La Bossiere in Nweke (2013) observes that, “one aspect to maintaining 

social stability is ensuring that people are willing (or forced) to remain within the limits of the 

stability of the system in question” (p. 147). He also quotes Falade and Ekundayo thus, “to ensure 

social stability, every citizen needs to acquire and demonstrate appropriate civic attitudes and skills” 

(p. 153). The primary duty of egwuikpem is to ensure compliance to societal cherished values which 

therefore enhance societal wellness. 

 

Theoretical framework 

As was said earlier, the work is anchored on social control theory. According to Boh (2013) social 

control theory “states that crime is merely the result of unsupervised anti-social behaviour which 

can be with some sort of control” (p. 110). He identifies different types of social control to include: 

- 

1. Direct control where all wrong actions receive punishments and right actions receive rewards 

from family or state authority. 

2. Indirect control by quick identification of deviant behaviour by the family or others. 

3. Internal control by the individual who tries to control deviant behaviour through the strength 

of his conscience. 

4. Control through satisfaction. When all needs are met, the individual will not be tempted. 

Egwuikpem falls within the first and second points where the ụmụada or the ndị inyom di are part of 

the extended family whose hands are always on the social control lever to criticize wrong actions or 

applaud right actions. Discussing music as a veritable instrument for social control, Okafor in Forchu 

(2012) asserts, “it leaves a mark on the psyche that re-directs the person towards a new personality, 

towards a new activity” (p. 215). Igbo society is very much aware of the potency of egwuikpem 

umunwanyi in protecting, sustaining and preserving Igbo people and culture, as a result nothing could 

demean its position in the scheme of things. Igbo society believes so much in communal living, one 

concerns one person concerns the other. No one lives in solitude. That is the reason why the job of 

social control falls on everybody irrespective of family affiliation or relationship.  

 

Methodology 

A collection of five egwuikpem was made. Interviews were conducted on the origin and implications 

of the different songs collected. These songs were randomly selected as they are considered relevant 

to the subject of discourse. The contents of the songs were analysed based on the resource persons’ 



 

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information to reflect the message they are meant to portray. The songs were also translated and 

notated for scholarly applicability. During the interview sections, the researchers met with the 

following: - Madam Theresa Okoye - an octogenarian, a native of Igboukwu, and Chief Godfrey Obiora 

from Agulu also an octogenarian. In her response to the origin and implications of egwuikpem, Okoye 

said that each egwuikpem is born out of the incident that preceded it. She narrated (in vernacular) 

one of the incidents and its attendant egwuikpem which the researchers translated thus; 

 

In the olden days when she was still in her teens, her mother Mgbeke Ezenwibe used to tell her and 

her siblings a story of one Mgbafor Chikelu from a neighbouring village who was too notorious in her 

waywardness. According to her mother, the woman was an epitome of beauty with good height and a 

ringed neck which was her greatest spot of beauty. This woman lived irresponsibly by sleeping around 

with men. On one occasion she went to Nkwo Market and after dropping her market basket she just 

left. At the close of the market she was nowhere to be found and when it was later discovered that 

she went to her boyfriend’s house, the gossips went viral both in her village and in the neighbouring 

villages and even among her close associates. The villagers did not take it lightly with her as they 

made jest of her each time they saw her. This attitude they assumed, delayed her marriage since no 

one would recommend her for marriage, because marriage in those days was contracted mostly 

through recommendation. She stayed in her parent’s house for a long time until at her later age, when 

an old man who was not reckoned with any good reputation from outside her village came and married 

her. Then after the incident, people would gather during moonlight plays and used her name in songs, 

detailing out what she did and with the exact description of her person so that anybody that heard 

the song would immediately get the picture of the person and the message therein. The song reads 

thus: - 

O iye e                                o iye e 

O iye e          o iye e 

Ogonogo nwagbọghọ         Ogonogo nwagbọghọ onu eke iye 

A tall young lady                a tall young lady with ringed neck 

O iye e                                o iye e 

Ogonogo nwagbọghọ         Ogonogo nwagbọghọ onu eke iye 

A tall young lady                a tall young lady with ringed neck 

O iye e                                o iye e 

Oje e na nkwọ Igbo, jeluo na nkwọ Igbo, dọsa abọ ahịa ya 

Went to Nkwo market, on getting to nkwo market, she left her market basket there 

Jewalụ na be ọyị ya nwoke 

 

And went to her boyfriend’s house 

 

Zie Olieji bunataraya abọ 

 

And asked her neighbour Olieji to bring back her market basket 

 

Oche na Olieji na-ata mkpụlụ nkahie 

 

Did she think that Olieji would associate herself with such a shameful act? 

 



 

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O iye e                                o iye e 

O iye e                    o iye e 

 

 
 



 

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The song is translated not in a word for word pattern but in a way that will help bring out the meaning 

as it is.  O iye e is just an onomatopoeic sound or response used to extend and beautify the song. 

 

The narrator said that their mother would always use this story and its associated song to remind 

them of the consequences or implications of living a wayward life. According to her during that time 

people used the name Mgbafor Chikelu derogatorily on any woman that mingled or hanged around with 

men. Therefore, for any one not to answer or go by the name, Mgbafor Chikelu, one would refrain 

from living her type of life.(oral interview 22nd April 2020).  

 

The above narrative was taken by the researcher but not without some measure of interrogations. It 

is true and could be understood that the action of the village women were no doubts compelled by 

tradition, but arguably and logically too, and from the researcher’s perspective, this particular 

judgement (egwuikpem) is lopsidedly applied.  Mgbafor Chikelu was not all alone in the act. It takes 

two to tango. The reason why only her name was couched in such a satiric rendition beats the 

researcher’s imagination. This is one of the areas where the society is not fair to women, where 

balanced judgement suffers at the altar of gender superiority or inequality. The obvious trajectory 

hinged on the fact that women are victims of these lopsided societal norms where two persons would 

be guilty of an offence, one goes scout free and the other pays dearly for the same offence. This is 

where Igbo tradition and that of the Jews have serious affinity. In Jewish tradition, an account was 

given where a woman was brought before Jesus for sex scandal while nothing was said of the man 

who was involved in the act with her (John 8: 3-7). Abeng (2020) succinctly decries these imbalances 

in her open letter to Chimmanda Adichie about her stand on feminism. She was of the opinion that no 

gender should be considered inferior to the other. She also blamed women for aiding and abating this 

imbalance by creating an enabling environment for the said suppression to thrive. She builds her facts 

on her personal experience as a growing girl child. In her own words she laments,  

In finding my path, I first blamed women, because, in my short time of existence, women 

raised me and most of the people around me. They chose that I cook and clean while my cousins 

played. They said, “you are a woman, no man will take this from you”, they said, “with this your 

attitude, you won’t find husband”, your opinions are too strong for a lady, you need to listen 

more when your man is talking”, Don’t buy a big car or live alone o! You will chase men away”, 

why are you not married yet?” “you need to learn to cook o”. 

Women told me all these but never did I hear them tell the male kids around me the same 

thing. Instead, I heard “you are supposed to be strong for your sisters”, are you not a man? 

Why are you crying?” “The older babe slept with you, ahn ahn you are enjoying o”. (all emphases 

are hers). (Social Media, April 23, 2020) 

 

All these comments are from women which by implication are to prepare the minds of the female 

children for an inferior or subservient position the society prescribes for them while their male 

counterparts are treated like kings. Still tracing women’s woes biblically, we refer to the first letter 

of Paul to Timothy where he (Paul) admonished women to learn in silence with all submission. In 

furtherance, he says, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in 

silence” (1Tim 2: 11-12). All these submissions burdened women both as a victim of tradition and that 

of Christianity. The researchers were not condemning the egwuikpem but were bothered on the 

societal application or usage of it – the prejudie.  The fact that in situations where both parties are 

involved in a crime, one is punished and the other culprit remained silent or anonymous is unjust, both 



 

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of them should share in the blame. The paper proposes a transformative approach to such oppressive 

societal norms, a situation where justice and equity hold sway. The researchers equally lend their 

voices to other African writers who held on to womanism as a more appropriate definition than 

feminism in this struggle for men – women inequality. Ezenwanebe (2008) in her own contribution 

asserts: 

Womanism, unlike Western Feminism aims at a general social and cultural transformation. The 

starting point is not necessarily men. Rather it engages and interrogates culture and sees it 

as a platform for critical transformation. Womanism opts for an evaluation of men and women 

that will enthrone complementarity, instead of equality of sexes. Complementarity implies an 

awareness that neither men nor women can exist in isolation. (p. 188) 

This is a more welcome opinion in a society where man-made laws are prejudicially instituted to favour 

a particular group to the disadvantage of the other.  

 

On the 30th of May 2020, a similar interview was held with Chief Godfrey Obiora, (aka – Onyekwute 

ọdịarịya) an octogenarian from Isiamigbo , Agulu in Anocha Local Government Area on whether male 

folk are free or exonerated from egwuikpem. He said, “Igbo tradition has no respect for any violator 

of cultural values but the fact that women are engaged in more musical activities than men gives room 

for more women’s egwuikpem ”.  He gave an account of a man called Ikemee who was into a relationship 

with a woman, in the process, the woman became pregnant. But according to Igbo tradition, a man has 

no claim over a child he did not pay dowry on the mother. So when the child was born Ikemee could 

not have the child as his. For this reason, people of the community started deriding him with the 

following egwuikpem 

 

Song  

Ikemee ọnahụ amụọrọ gị nwa 

Ikemee ọnahụ amụọrọ gị nwa 

Nwanne na-emereakụ, Ikemee ọnahụ amụọrọ gị nwa 

Ọchịchị elue akụ, Ikemee ọnahụ amụọrọ gị nwa 

Ụtalịgwe nwanyị, Ikemee ọnahụ amụọrọ gị nwa 

Ịchọba eje mmiri, ikulu mmiri nụọ, Ikemee ọnahụ amụọrọ gị nwa 

Ikolo eje mmiri 

Agbọghọ eje mmiri  

Iyo yo ooyo 

 

Translation  

 

Ikemee she should have born the child for you 

Ikemee she should have born the child for you 

Nwanne na-emereakụ, Ikemee she should have born the child for you 

Ọchịchị elue akụ, Ikemee she should have born the child for you 

Ụtalịgwe nwanyị, Ikemee she should have born the child for you, Ikemee … 

If you want something good/beautiful go for it, get it and own it, 

A handsome man,  

A pretty woman 

Iyo yo oo yo 



 

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On whether men and women receive equal criticisms for related offences, personal experiences have 

shown that in Igbo tradition, what should be regarded as a very big offense for a woman may not even 

be regarded as anything if a man is involved and that accounts for more number of egwuikpem for 

women than men. There are many other egwuikpem ụmụnwanyị which are displayed during women’s 

social gatherings. One of such reads thus- 

 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ndị ọgba ntu eje uka, ọgba ntu eje ụka azọbikwone m’ọkpa  na u biko 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ndị osulu nni n’ọkụ, osulu nni n’ọkụ efele di n’ụnọ a na-asa asa? 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

 

Ndị oji eze akpọ biya, oji eze akpọ biya ma opina dịkwa n’ụnụ, a na-achọ achọ? 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ndị ọwa nịka eje ahịa, ọwa nịka eje ahịa ma ọgọdọ dịkwọ n’ụnọ a na-asụ asụ? 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ụmụagbọghọ itikanakpa    na yụ biko 

Ndi omegbu nnedi ha , omegbu nnedi ma nne ha nọ n’ụnọ, na yụ biko 

 

Translation  

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o (meaning I salute you- though derogatorily implied) 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Who wear very pointed shoes to church, don’t march on my legs, I salute you o 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Who eat from the pot, you eat from the pot while plates are in the house, are they washed? 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Who open bottles (beer) with their teeth while openers are at home, do they look for them? 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Who wear knickers/trousers to market while wrappers are at home, do they wash them? 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Illiterate ladies, it’s you o 

Who maltreat their mothers’ in-law, maltreating their mothers’ in-law while their own mothers are 

well catered for at home, I salute you  

 



 

102 
 

Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

 



 

103 
 

Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

 

 

 

 
 

The above rendition criticizes young ladies who the rural women see as social misfits by putting up 

awkward and bizarre behaviours that do not conform to the expected traditional ethnics of society, 

such as wearing unusual pointed shoes, wearing short knickers or trousers, opening drinks such as 

beer with teeth, and other domestic negligence such as leaving cooking utensils -plates, pots or spoons 

unwashed, maltreating one’s mother in-law and so on. For rural women such attitude and ineptitude 

amount to illiteracy and therefore highly criticised.  



 

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Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

 

Conclusion  

From the above discourse, it could be deduced that egwuikpem is a very potent instrument of 

achieving societal wellness in Igbo culture. Through its medium social vices and unhealthy behaviours 

are controlled to a certain limit. The fact that every Igbo person values and cherishes good name, it 

therefore becomes discreditably awful to be associated with any form of derisive song no matter 

how less offensive it appears. Nevertheless, and worrisomely too, it appears that women are more or 

less the architect of their own problem through upbringing and role definition. They are the main 

propeller of egwuikpem in Igbo culture and thus the reason for more number of egwuikpem ụmụnwanyị 

than egwuikpem ụmụnwoke. They seem to embrace totally what tradition packaged for them in terms 

of what a woman should do and what she should not do, which invariably determine her level of 

obedience and offenses in a society. Therefore, the paper contends that in as much as egwuikpem has 

come to stay as a veritable instrument to ensure social stability or societal wellness as the case may 

be, it should not be lopsidedly applied. 

 

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