African Wisdom – 4 Igbo Proverbs

I wanted to share some proverbs from my Igbo heritage. Proverbs are part of an oral tradition of passing down wisdom. It’s as if you can hear the ancestors shouting.

I have introduced each proverb using its literal translation and then provided a brief explanation.

When you take a decision alone, you can commit an abomination

Essentially, no man is an island unto himself. This is something I’ve had to learn the hard way. I’m an independent person that doesn’t like asking for help, but 2020 has humbled me. And even though asking for help does not come easy to me, I love working with others and definitely value collaboration.

While the yellow ant is the king of the palm trees, the antelope is the king of the forest

Everybody has their own strengths. So slay in your lane and don’t let comparison be a thief of your joy. The world of content creation on IG and beyond is new to me, but I’ve had to learn to appreciate what others are doing without letting it affect me. There is a place for everyone.

Forget what is written on the body of the vehicle and enter the vehicle

I spoke to my mum about this one, and she says context is important for this. On the one hand, this proverb is telling us to search for deeper meaning. In the same breath, it is also telling us to go with the flow. Igbo is a very contextual language (I don’t speak it… yet) but I am trying to engage with it more.

Time and tide wait for nobody

Essentially, don’t procrastinate and get on with it.

What are some of your favourite proverbs? Let me know in the comments.