Abu Igbo (Igbo songs/poems) are an integral part of Igbo oral tradition. They include praise songs, work songs, war chants, lullabies, funeral dirges, and ceremonial compositions.
Igbo songs are most commonly used during emume omenala (cultural ceremonies and festivals). These occasions - such as new yam festivals (iri ji), title-taking ceremonies (ichi ozo), marriage celebrations, funeral rites, and masquerade festivals - are the traditional settings where Igbo songs are performed. The songs accompany rituals, celebrate achievements, honour ancestors, and mark seasonal transitions.
While songs can be sung during leisure (ezumike) or in the home (ime ulo), these are not the primary context. The deep connection between Igbo songs and cultural practice means that emume omenala is where they are most characteristically and frequently employed.
