JOSHUA IFEANYI UWADINMA

This study investigates the stylistic features of selected funeral dirges in the Ika dialect, with the aim of identifying the linguistic and artistic devices that characterize them as a unique form of oral poetry. The work explores how language is used in Ika dirges to express grief, convey communal beliefs about death, and preserve cultural identity. The study adopts a qualitative research design, drawing data from field recordings, oral interviews, and transcriptions of authentic funeral performances among native Ika speakers. The analysis is based on stylistic and ethnographic frameworks, which allow for the interpretation of the dirges within their linguistic, cultural, and situational contexts. Findings from the analysis reveal that Ika funeral dirges are rich in figurative language such as metaphor, repetition, personification, imagery, and symbolism. These stylistic features heighten emotional expression and strengthen the communal bond during mourning. The dirges also reflect the Ika worldview that regards death not as an end, but as a transition to the ancestral world. Moreover, the performance of dirges marked by call-and-response patterns, tonal variation, and rhythmic delivery demonstrates the aesthetic and participatory nature of Ika oral tradition. The study concludes that Ika funeral dirges serve both artistic and social purposes: they console the bereaved, immortalize the dead, and transmit moral and cultural values across generations. The research therefore recommends the preservation, documentation, and inclusion of Ika oral literature in educational and cultural programs to safeguard the linguistic and cultural heritage of the people.