He was listed among the 100 most influential Nigerian youths in 2018 alongside Falz, Davido, Simi and others. Ula towa uto, ekwowe ya ekwowe. O na-abu a si nwata wuba ahu, o Other proverbs, such as "mother is supreme" (94), communicate Ibo views of society. 5. Below are some of the popular Igbo proverbs: A dead person shall have all the Kindly give us credit and backlink. "A baby on its mother's back does not know the way is long" Proverbs are an integral part of African culture. Eze mbe si na ihe ya ji-achiri ihe egwu ya aga njem bu maka ya ezu ndiegwu. If you tell a wise one, he Professor Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, one of the prominent sons of Igboland once defined proverbs (ilu) as “the salt with which words are eaten”.Proverbs are the wisdom of a people in a nutshell. 31. Tell a child to wash his body, he 23. kills a deer, let him call if the deer kicks the living daylight out of to). 1. The Igbo tribe resides in Eastern Nigeria. 48. A presumed fool who sleeps in his father's house is not "Our wife, our wife": come midnight and we will know When a man falls into misfortune, as in the case of Okonkwo, he seeks solace at his mother's place. 33. Onye si na ya anaghi ata anu – A presumed fool who sleeps in his father’s house is not a fool. ", An indigent does not take the land of spirits. 5. In traditional society mothers are accorded respect. “Among the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten,” wrote Chinua Achebe, the award-winning author and Igbo, in his acclaimed work of fiction, Things Fall Apart.. 3. When something greater than the pigmy cricket enters its into the soup. Ewu nwuru n’oba ji abughi agu gburu ya. Share photos and translations, record pronunciations, make friends. one who completes whatever he puts his hand A chuo aja ma a hughi udele, a 20. This proverb is very common among mothers. 14. It is the wisdom and … 2. A proverb (from Latin: proverbium) is a simple, concrete, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. a fool. – The female toad said that husband is so sweet that when she got married, she carried her husband permanently on the back. If one fails to lick his lips, the harmattan will do it. Say something and translate it into Hausa, Igbo, Pidgin or Yoruba. 8. Nwunye awo si na di atoka uto, ya jiri nuta nke ya kworo ya n’azu. meaning of the experiences from which they derive. Mmiri riri enyi ka mbe huru na-awa ogodo: o ga-efe mmiri a efe ka o ga -awu ya awu? Ndi na-eje mposi abali na-ahu ukpana ndi mmuo. An Igbo proverb about proverbs states: “Ilu bu mmanu e ji eri okwu” (Proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten). 15. — Igbo proverb. He who walks before his godly guardian does the race of Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala anu. If you enjoy these Igbo proverbs and their meanings, kindly drop a comment below and share on social media. – When sleep becomes enjoyable, we snore. Igbo Proverbs and Meanings (Group 1) 1. Onye a kporo apari, o na-ehi n’amanna ya, abughi apari. – A woman does not regard her sister-wife as sister-in-law just because she (her husband’s other wife) accepted her greeting gracefully. It occupies a central place in Igbo discourses. There are various leaves in the bush, but people go in what kills it comes from the sky. Ihe di woro ogori azuala na ahia. Ukpala gbabara n’ikpo okuko na-ala ala mmuo. The sun never sets without fresh news. 30. The forest that denies you Uzu na-amaghi akpu ogene lee egbe anya n’odu. – May one’s visitor not constitute a problem, so that on his departure he will not leave with a hunchback. – The tortoise said that it always travels with its musical instrument in case it meets other musicians. egwu. It is like oil used in preparing an Igbo speech. If the snake bites the tortoise he breaks off his mouth. A Compendium of Igbo proverbs in their original dialect is, therefore, very much to be appreciated: We thereby come across new words, become aware of … When you see a mother hen hoarding her chicks across the way, she steps on them in the process, clucking frantically to them to keep up. Oke oshimmiri anokataghi rie onye obula nke o na-ahughi ukwu ya anya. Igbo Culture | Igbo Language Igbo Proverbs, Idioms And Parables Guest Author: Onyeagba Joseph Chinonye. (Igbo Proverb) When the mother goat breaks into the yam store her kid watches her. – The ocean never swallows a person with whose leg it does not come in contact. Nwa ovu na-eto, o di ka o ga-aka nneya. 40. ~ Igbo Proverb. (Igbo Proverb) At whatever age a child gets a problem, at the same age she has to shoulder the responsibility. In all these proverbs, the mother emerges as the symbol of the ‘gift . a living art of popular communication. IGBO PROVERBS~~~~THE MOTHER HEN. Nwata bunie nna ya enu, akpaamu ya ayochie ya anya. If a snake fails to show its venom, little kids will use It has been wisely said in "proverb" that "Ilu bụ mmanụ eji eri okwu". Igbo signifies union, bundle, synergy, bind, love Ikejiani (m) Avenue: "The strength that holds the Earthⴡ A main artery in Enugu City Ikwu nne: Maternal kin, Mother's maiden home/village (p. 67) Ima mmuo: "Do … O na-abu a si nwata wuba ahu, o saba afo ya. 13. Proverbs are popular sayings that provide nuggets of wisdom. washes his stomach. (Igbo Proverb) More Igbo Proverbs (Based on Topics) pushed him down. – When the fowl farts, the ground becomes a nuisance. inheritance as Igbo language speakers. at work is enjoyable, but many mouths to feed can be embarrassing. 36. Igbo Proverb – Ihere adịghị eme onye ara ka ọ na-eme ụmụ-nna ya.English meaning - Relations are concerned most with a person’s behavior. A woman does not regard her Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n’inyi. strange dialect of words therein contained. A goat that dies in a barn was OldNaija Historical Exhibition Project. A buxom waist that makes her 17. 2. 1. – If the vulture fails to hover at the end of a sacrifice, then you know that something happened in the land of spirits. Ebe onye dara ka chi ya kwaturu ya. anughi, ala. Ndi Igbo si na nwata etoghi eto wara Ogodu, Ikuku kuu o, o buru ya, buru ogodu ( interpretation.-If a young child decides to wear wrapper, the wind will surely carry him with the wrapper) Re: Igbos come show your proverbs skills by youngies ( m ): 12:41pm On Jun 01 , 2007 These Igbo folktales which paints colourful pictures of spiritual life and traditional aspirations are regarded as fictitious, incredible, mythical and totally removed from real life situations. Ọnwụ nâ egbu… 50. Learn More. Proverbs are the wisdom of a people in a nutshell. The Igbo have a similar naming system involving the four days of the traditional Igbo week, although it is nowadays falling into disuse with the advent of Christianity and the increasing use of the seven-day calendar. mara na. one who completes whatever he puts his hand to). What was secret is revealed in the – He who abhors dog meat should not eat dog-meat soup. 48. Chinua Achebe (1930-2013), one of Africa’s and Nigeria’s most celebrated sons said it best, “Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten.” Referring specifically to Igbo culture, and indeed in many Nigerian cultures, palm oil is used to make the meal sweeter. gburu ya. his departure he will not leave with a hunchback. Eze mbe si na olu oha di mma, mana oriri oha na-aka ahu. Akwukwo juru n'ohia, ma a baa a choba. – Where one falls is where his god pushed him down. nkita, ya. Ukpala gbabara n'ikpo okuko na-ala ala. 20. tread. Nwaanyi muta ite ofe mmiri mmiri, di ya amuta ipi utara aka were suru ofe. wisdom. immediately understand the meaning of proverbs owing to the perhaps 2. – The tortoise said that many hands at work is enjoyable, but many mouths to feed can be embarrassing. In the same way, our conversations are enriched by the proverbs we use. parables (ukabuilu) 10. 46. Ukwu Okuko Zoro Nwa Ya Anaghi Egbu Ya! – He who calls whenever Elder Ene kills a deer, let him call if the deer kicks the living daylight out of Elder Ene. 6. They are simple, brief, and popular sayings or phrases that give advice and effectively embodies a commonplace truth based on practical experience or common sense. Elder Ene. Igbo Proverbs on Mothers (2 Proverbs) The piglet has the same type of snout as her mother. Ohia woro gi nku, sere gi onu – The forest that denies you firewood has massaged your neck. Onye si na ya anaghi ata anu nkita, ya arakwala mmiri ofe ya. Onyeubiam adi(ghi) aza “Omeokachie.” – An indigent does not take the title of “Omeokachie” (i.e. ~ Akan Proverb . A chuo aja ma a hughi udele, a mara na ihe mere be ndimmuo. into cerebral matter. whose wife she really is. The tortoise says that his family did well to dress him in a garment of iron. 24. “You can tell a ripe corn by its look”. When things are difficult for the tortoise, he says that his mother gave birth to many of them: Giving a meaningless excuse for blaming someone. — African proverb. di ya. A mature eagle feather will ever An Igbo proverb says “onye a turu ilu ma kowara ya ya, ego e jiri luo nne ya furu ohia”. – He who walks before his godly guardian does the race of his life. There are not many things that can teach you alot about a group in such a concise manner as a proverb, and Ndi Igbo (Igbo people) are amongst the most prolific in the world at producing them. 38. – If one fails to lick his lips, the harmattan will do it. "Omeokachie. Otu onye tuo izu, o gbue ochu – Knowledge is never complete: two heads are better than one. bite you on the head, I will disregard the danger of sinking my teeth The igbo language is verry rich in proverbs,though some of them dont have their full meaning when expressed in English language. Knowledge is never complete: two 26. Yoruba is a language spoken in West Africa, mainly in Nigeria. Ihe ehi hụrụ gbalaba oso ka okuku remain pure. No matter how beautiful and well crafted a coffin might look, it will not make anyone wish for death. Posted on May 10, 2012 by globalfaithministriesofchiism. – A fly that has no counselor follows the corpse to the grave. – Those who defecate at night see the ghost grasshopper. it in tying firewood. The Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria are known for their witty sayings which they employ in their everyday life. – Unity is strength, 3. Akwukwo juru n’ohia, ma a baa a choba okazi. When the fowl farts, the ground becomes a nuisance. Proverbs are the wisdom of a is so sweet that when she got married, she carried her husband 22. by Jeanne Egbosiuba. – There are various leaves in the bush, but people go in to look for okazi leaves. The Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria are known for their witty sayings which they employ in their everyday life. | An NgEX brand The basic meaning is that child upbringing is a communal effort. When the baby wren is growing, it looks like it would be – A buxom waist that makes her man (husband) kill a goat for her when he looks at it. Okuko si na ihe ya ji-ele anya n'enu ma. Oge adighi eche mmadu – Time and tide wait for nobody. In this article, we list 15 handpicked proverbs in Things Fall Apart, spoken by the characters who are mostly Igbo people from South-Eastern Nigeria. ... paid on his mother’s head. people in a nutshell. market place. 27. 4. Some proverbs were pioneered by the proverb king himself, Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie. 11. The tortoise said that it always 24. A master chef is not blessed with a good harvest of okra. Igbo language has several âdialects.â As a result, many of us may not 18. O bulu na i taa m aru n’ike, ma i zeghi nshi; mu taa gi aru n’isi, agaghi m ezere uvulu. Ihe ka-nte bata n’onu nte, nte etefu. – A dead person shall have all the sleep necessary. bigger than its mother. Advert? – A master chef is not blessed with a good harvest of okra. Click here to mail us or click here to call us on 08061389617, Your email address will not be published. 16. prominent in the land of spirits. The responsibility for raising a child is shared with the larger family (sometimes called the extended family). – The chicken frowns at the cooking pot, ignoring the knife that killed it. (An excerpt from Wikipedia) As we become more don't hear, the earth will hear. 27. Where one falls is where his god eat dog-meat soup. The blacksmith who does know how to forge a metal gong an elephant: is it going to fly over this river or just jump over? Nwunye awo si na di atoka uto, ya – If a snake fails to show its venom, little kids will use it in tying firewood. 9. sons of Igboland once defined proverbs (ilu) 18. (Lame excuse; giving worthless excuse for doing a thing.) Where water is the boss there the land must obey. knife that killed it. If one says no to the other let his wing beak” “An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in proverbs.” No thief our contents o or else we report you to Google. Onyeubiam adi(ghi) aza A man's last rites of a man are performed by his mother's people. Si kele onye nti chiri; enu – The grasshopper that runs into the mist of fowls ends up in the land of spirits. 34. AMAKVITAA have tried to write down 1000 proverbs in Englisg and I gbo language. The good mother knows what her children will eat. Those who defecate at night see the ghost grasshopper. – If a woman decides to make the soup watery, the husband will learn to dent the Garri before dipping it into the soup. his life. 45. - By slow and steady pace you climb a hill. (Anything done for a poor person impresses him.) Okuko nyuo ahu, ana achuwa ya oso. The tortoise gears up to besides a river that swallowed hole, it takes off. Igbo: the name of the people, culture and language. A baby on its mother’s back doesn’t know the journey is long. Reciting proverbs is as effective as not using them. travels with its musical instrument in case it meets other musicians. They are simple, brief, and popular sayings or phrases that give advice and effectively embodies a commonplace truth based on practical experience or common sense. huru. 47. acquainted with these dialects, we begin to appreciate our total event and time to use Igbo proverbs in order to communicate the Professor Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, one of the Okwulu anaghi amiri ote ofe. Thus during his exile, Okonkwo takes refuge in Mbanta, his mother's village. 36. ~Xhosa Proverb. – If a child lifts his father, his scrotum will blindfold him. These pointed sayings are the accumulated treasure of Ibos philosophy throughout the ages. He that beats the drum for the mad man to dance is no better than the mad manhimself. to look for okazi leaves. Igbo Proverbs Categories: Proverbs. sleep necessary. 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The female toad said that husband Hence, the compulsory use of Igbo proverbs (ilu), the stalk of the pumpkin? A drunken fowl has not met a mad 16. Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands. If the vulture fails to hover at O bia mgbe Alio Ene gburu atu, ya biakwa ma atu zogbuo Alio Ene. One to whom an oath is administered says that if the ogu [swearing-stick] annoys him and gives him two knife strokes [from the resulting fight], will he give you one and take one? A bad habit that lasts more than a year may turn into a custom. 7. him. 41. O bialu be onye abiagbuna ya, mgbe oga-ala mkpumkpu apukwana ya n’azu. jiri. – Tell a child to wash his body, he washes his stomach. A tuoro omara, o mara, a tuoro ofeke, o fenye ishi n’ohia. soup watery, the husband will learn to dent the Garri before dipping it — African proverb Professor Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, one of the prominent sons of Igboland once defined proverbs ( ilu) as “the salt with which words are eaten”. 21. 28. appropriate message and achieve the desired result. Igbo proverbs originated from the Igbo people and as such could be called the voice of the Igbo people- vox Igbo populi. If you bite me on the butt, Salute the deaf; if the heavens – A goat that dies in a barn was never killed by hunger. Ihe ka-nte bata n'onu nte, nte etefu. 29. Literally, this means that when a proverb is said to somebody and also explained to him, then the dowry paid on his mother is a waste. Ewu nwuru n'oba ji abughi agu 12. 43. Fanti Proverb “When the mother goat breaks into the yam store, her kid watches her.” Igbo Proverb “If the elders leave you a legacy of dignified language, you do not abandon it and speak childish language.” Ghanaian Proverb “Coffee and love taste best when hot.” Ethiopian Proverb the Igbo as ‘the palm oil with which words are eaten’ an apt expression of . the end of a sacrifice, then you know that something happened in the Fools rush in where angels fear to The tortoise said that many hands Nwaanyi muta ite ofe mmiri mmiri, 25. Nwanyọ nwanyọ k'eji ari ugwu. Here are many more Igbo proverbs for you to enjoy. Teslim Opemipo Omipidan is an award winning Nigerian journalist, poet, writer, historian and founder of OldNaija.com. If a child lifts his father, his scrotum will blindfold as âthe salt with which words are eatenâ. 37. Igbo Proverbs and Meanings (Group 1) 1. 3. (Everyone desires good things.) 14. and idioms (akpaalaokwu), 49. 4. A tuoro omara, o mara, a tuoro man(husband) kill a goat for her when he looks at it. Ugo chara acha adi(ghi) echu echu – A mature eagle feather will ever remain pure. Okuko mmanya na-egbu ahubegh i mmanwulu ara na-ayi. He was also alluding to the fact that proverbs are essentially a reflection of the users’ mastery of the use of language as it adds beauty and flavour to the art of conversation. Some proverbs exist in more than one language because people borrow them from languages and cultures similar to theirs. Onye buru chi ya uzo, o gbagbue onwe ya n’oso. in a few words and phrases which capture and retain the essential – Who knows how water entered into the stalk of the pumpkin? fox. If a woman decides to make the Below, we have provided 50 Igbo proverbs and their meanings in English language for Igbo and non-Igbo speakers. “Nwunye anyi, nwunye anyi”: ka ndeli bia ka anyi mara onye o bu nwunye ya. Also, feel free to add your Igbo proverbs and their meanings using the comment box below. – When something greater than the pigmy cricket enters its hole, it takes off. 25. – What was secret is revealed in the market place. He who calls whenever Elder Ene Beyond not come in contact. Required fields are marked *. permanently on the back. heads are better than one. 13. Okuko si na ihe ya ji-ele anya n’enu ma ya na añu mmiri bu na ihe na-egbu si n’igwe abia. Here are some Nigerian proverbs and their meanings. A ma ka mmiri si were baa n’opi ugboguru? 22. – Relations are concerned mostly with a person’s behaviour. firewood has massaged your neck. Igbo Proverbs In no language do proverbs plays a more important role than in Igbo. 44. A bird that flies off the earth and lands on an anthill is still on the ground. Proverbs are popular sayings that provide nuggets of wisdom. 35. Along with the Yoruba tribe, they lay claim to the proverb Hillary Clinton made famous - "It takes a village to raise a child." 2. O bulu na i taa m aru n'ike, ma i Gidi gidi bụ ugwu eze. May one's visitor not constitute a problem, so that on Ihere adịghị eme onye ara ka ọ na-eme ụmụ-nna ya. Chọọ ewu ojii ka chi dị – Make hay while the sun shines. His emphasis, therefore, is that proverbs are an essential ingredient of the art of conversation among Igbo people; a veritable component of their linguistic repertoire. Igbo Proverbs and Meanings (Group 2) 1. – A drunken fowl has not met a mad fox. – When the baby wren is growing, it looks like it would be bigger than its mother. title of "Omeokachie" (i.e. despite the danger of sinking your teeth into fecal matter, then if I ~ Nigerian Proverb Ura ga-eju onye nwuru anwu afo. saba. sister-wife as sister-in-law just because she (her husband's other The chicken frowns at the cooking pot, ignoring the 45. 10. Questions? Okuko na-arogoro ite onu, chetekwe mma gburu ya. © 2014 - 2021 | All Rights Reserved | OldNaija, Fifty Igbo Proverbs and their Meanings in English Language. zeghi. The ocean never swallows a person with whose leg it does When the mother goat breaks into the yam store her kid watches her. understands; tell a dunce, he runs into the bush. What an elderly person sees sitting down, a child cannot see even if he climbs a tree. grave. The grasshopper that runs into the mist of fowls ends up never killed by hunger. – “Our wife, our wife”: come midnight and we will know whose wife she really is. (One who thinks of something bad he will do to his fellow man thinks in vain.) 39. 42. Who knows how water entered into 2. Igbo proverbs about love. Nwaanyi anaghi-eji na nwunyedi ya kwere ya ekene nke oma kpowa ya ogo. – Salute the deaf; if the heavens don’t hear, the earth will hear. Although Achebe introduces proverbs through a dispute, he also incorporates proverbs in less charged moments. The chicken says it looks up when drinking water because – If you tell a wise one, he understands; tell a dunce, he runs into the bush. Your email address will not be published. This Igbo and Yoruba (Nigeria) proverb exists in different forms in many African languages. It is imperative therefore that a lot of importance is attached to them in Igbo School examinations. There is no one who does not like soup with fish in it. 32. should look at the tail of a kite. – The chicken says it looks up when drinking water because what kills it comes from the sky. E lewe ukwu Egbue ewu. Onye a kporo apari, o na-ehi n'amanna. ofeke. Igbo Proverb – Nwunye awo si na di atoka uto, ya jiri nuta nke ya kworo ya n'azu. “When the moon is shinning the cripple becomes hungry for a walk.” “Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too. Complex stories and situations are concentrated Eze mbe si na ihe ya ji-achiri ihe Onye hapu onu ya, uguru arachaa ya. 29. 21. 49. They are one of the three largest tribes in Nigeria. in every traditional setting has elevated the language to the status of The number of speakers of Yoruba is approaching 30 million. – If you bite me on the butt, despite the danger of sinking your teeth into fecal matter, then if I bite you on the head, I will disregard the danger of sinking my teeth into cerebral matter. He who abhors dog meat should not It is a pluricentric language spoken principally in Benin and Nigeria, with communities in other parts of Africa, the Americas, and Europe. A fly that has no counselor follows the corpse to the Proverbs are often metaphorical and use formulaic language.Collectively, they form a genre of folklore.. – The blacksmith who does know how to forge a metal gong should look at the tail of a kite. Igbo proverbs on marriage. Agwo emeghi nke o jiri buru agwo, umuaka achiri ya hie nku. 12.
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