Abstract
This study examines masquerade songs (owu duma) as a form of trado-religious poetry among the Ịzọn people of the Niger Delta. Rooted in the riverine environment and spiritual worldview of the community, these songs preserve history, express belief systems, and communicate moral values. Although they are often discussed in ritual or anthropological terms, their poetic structure and aesthetic qualities have received limited critical attention. Using functionalist theory, the study views masquerade songs as central to social cohesion and cultural continuity. Their composition is understood to derive from spiritual inspiration, as well as apprenticeship and communal transmission. Close analysis reveals the deliberate use of repetition, imagery, symbolism, satire, hyperbole, apostrophe, and personification. The study concludes that masquerade songs are both artistic creations and social instruments, deserving recognition as a significant genre within African oral literature.
Keywords: Masquerade Songs, Ịzọn, Literary Devices, Functionalism, Oral Performance