[4] Ekpili music is also characterized by its lyrical content, which reflects the philosophical, social, and political views of the Igbo people.
[9] EgwuEkpili takes its name from ekpili, a rattle made of large pods of Uko tree, strung together on a rope about a foot long, which features as the main instrument in this kind of music common in Anambra divisions of Igboland, among the people of such towns as Achala, Aguleri, Awkuzu, Nando, Nteje, Oba, Ugbene, Ukwulu and Onitsha.
[10]Further characteristics of ekpili include solo performance singing with a form of call and response chorus style which comes in at intervals.
[11] Ekpili is specific in the sense that the genre isn't crowded with so many instruments with the main focus being the vocals which narrates important messages for listeners.
[12] This style of Igbo folk genre is often described as "Akuko-na-egwu" (Story-in-music) in which the artist narrates a story in musical form with occasional instrumental interludes.