Poetic heritage: Igbo traditional verse

Published in 1971 by Nwankwo-Ifejika in Enugu, Nigeria, Poetic heritage: Igbo traditional verse is a 137-page anthology compiled and translated by Romanus N. Egudu and Donatus I. Nwoga. The work is presented in both English and Igbo and was released as part of the UNESCO collection of representative works: Nigerian series. It is recognized as the first transcribed oral Igbo poetic collection, as noted in Igbo literature.

Romanus N. Egudu served as a lecturer of English at the university level, collaborating with Donatus I. Nwoga to research and preserve traditional verse. Nwoga, who taught alongside Chinua Achebe in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was a prominent scholar and member of the African Literature Association, the International African Institute, and The Folklore Society. Their collective effort in Donatus Nwoga's research helped bridge the gap between oral traditions and imaginative written literature.

The collection focuses on the transmutation of the Igbo language into imaginative literature, providing translations of traditional folk poetry into English. This venture was viewed as a significant scholarly contribution to the study of African languages, as discussed in a book review by N. N. Amankulor. The volume serves as a critical record of Igbo oral heritage, capturing the nuances of traditional verse for a broader academic audience.