This paper presents a carefully developed critical edition of “Ewo Gboka” (“Money is Strong”), a notable Nupe oral composition attributed to Alhaji Hamza Sonfada Bida. While African oral texts have often been approached mainly from anthropological and sociological perspectives, this study shifts attention to the internal artistic qualities of the composition. Using a Formalist lens, the paper explores its structural, phonological, and poetic features. Drawing on the ideas of Jakobson (1960) and Shklovsky (1965), the analysis shows that “Ewo Gboka” functions not only as a song, but also as poetry, philosophical reflection, and socio-economic commentary. Through tonal patterning, repetition, gradual variation, and metaphorical expression, the composition demonstrates a refined indigenous formal system comparable to written poetic traditions. The paper also contributes to the preservation of Nupe oral literature through annotated transcription and critical explanation.

• Nupe oral literature
• Formalist criticism