There was a time when every Nigerian child grew up wrapped in the wisdom of proverbs.
Grandparents wove them into bedtime stories, parents used them as gentle scoldings, and
elders dropped them like pearls during village meetings. They weren’t just sayings — they were
identity, wisdom, and the rhythm of life itself.
But how often do you hear a proverb in everyday conversation today? Instead, we scroll through
Instagram captions, quote American TV shows, or repeat the latest TikTok catchphrases.
Somewhere along the way, many of our proverbs slipped quietly into the background. Not gone,
but fading.
Why Proverbs Mattered
In Nigeria, a proverb was never just a clever line. It carried weight. The Igbo put it best:
“Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten.” Without them, conversations felt bland.
Among the Yoruba, a well-placed proverb could calm quarrels faster than raised voices. For the Hausa, a single line could teach patience more effectively than a long sermon. Across cultures, proverbs were cultural currency — everyone understood their value, and everyone respected their authority.
Why They’re Fading Away
So, what happened? The reasons aren’t hard to see. Migration to cities has loosened ties to native languages. Schools give priority to English, leaving mother tongues behind. Nights once filled with storytelling are now filled with Netflix binges. And in our fast, flashy world of social media, who has time for slow, thoughtful wisdom?
The result is sobering: an entire generation growing up without the sayings that once guided
families and held communities together.
Five Proverbs We Shouldn’t Forget
- Yoruba: “A kì í fọwọ́ kan àgbà kó máa fi ọwọ́ méjì bòó.”
You don’t greet an elder with one hand while the other hides something behind your back.
Lesson today: Respect isn’t just about outward gestures; it’s about honesty and sincerity.
- Igbo: “A na-agwa ntị okwu, ọ bụrụ na ọ naghị ege ntị, obi ege ntị.”
When the ears refuse to hear advice, the heart will feel the pain of consequences.
Lesson today: Life will always teach us lessons — but listening early is far less costly than regret.
- Hausa: “Komai nisan jifa, ƙasa zai fāɗi.”
No matter how far you throw a stone, it will fall to the ground.
Lesson today: Actions always catch up with us, no matter how far we think we’ve gone.
- Edo: “Ọ ̀ bò òkhuó ghá mà, ọ ̀ rọnmwén ó vbe érinmwin.”
Unity and collaboration triumph over isolation, fuelling success through collective effort.
Lesson today: Unity, cooperation, collaboration and teamwork driving success, completion, accomplishment and achievement which will always win over isolation.
- Tiv: “Or dedoo, ka i dedoo.”
If the house is at peace, you too will be at peace.
Lesson today: Personal wellbeing is tied to the wellbeing of the community.
Why They Still Matter
The times may have changed, but the wisdom hasn’t. These proverbs remind us of respect, patience, accountability, and the strength of community — values as urgent today as they were in the past. In a noisy, fast-paced world, they whisper to us: slow down, think, and remember what truly matters.
A forgotten proverb is more than just a sentence lost to time — it’s a fragment of who we are. Reviving them isn’t about clinging to the past; it’s about carrying forward wisdom that still lights the path ahead.
The Igbo say: “He who does not know where the rain began to beat him cannot say where he
dried his body.”
If we let our proverbs slip away, we risk forgetting where we came from. But if we remember them, we remember ourselves
