Article 5

A list of Yoruba proverbs

The Yorubas are one of the three major tribes in Nigeria. They speak the Yoruba language pronounced either as ‘yoruba’ or ‘yooba’. A group of Yoruba migrants are also located in Cuba in present day and they speak 'lucumi' pronounced as ‘lukumi’. 

The yorubas take pride in adages and proverbs. Elders often use in their day to day lives either to express their thoughts, or to suggest a thing to someone without stating it explicitly, or just to add spice to their words and also to advice younger ones. Below are a collection of Yoruba proverbs (with English  translations )that have passed on from generations to generations.

• Oro abo lan so fun omoluabi, to oba de inu re aa di odindi.

(its half words that we say to a right minded individual, when it reaches it stomach, it becomes whole).  Meaning that, one only needs to advice with little words, a right minded individual will understand more than he is told, and take the right steps

• ko le tan lara omo oba ki o ma ku dansaaki

(it can’t finish in a prince’s body, there will always remain the praises). Basically that, even if a prince becomes a slave or becomes poor, he will still have that pride in him.

• Adire funfun ko mo iraare lagba

(the white cockerel doesn’t realize his superiority in age). Just for someone old acting like a kid.

• Bami na omoomi ko de inu olomo

(beat my child for me ; it doesnt reach the stomach of the owner of the child). Our parents no matter how they have to punish us, they still have the pity in their heart for their children.

• Ewure ti o n je alubosa, oju lo n kan. Ki ni won o fi see?

(the goat that eats onions is only being impatient, what will they use to cook it?)

• Omode ti o n ge igi agba lo mo ibi to maa wo si

(the child that’s felling a tree, it’s the elder that knows where it will fall). Meaning elders based on their experience, know the outcome when they see a child taking some particular steps).