Composed mainly in the masquerade idiom, this collection of poetry is characterised by songs and chants, satirical commentary and divinatory prophecies. An important part of traditional African cultural expression, the masquerade speaks for the voice of the ancestral spirit with the authority to lay bare uncomfortable truths about society. By drawing on age-old myths, proverbs and the lore and wisdom of a community, it provides social commentary and moral guidance for the listeners. Obiechina uses this device to comment on events in post-independence Nigeria.
