A friend said my recent column on our anchestorial wisdom motivated him to make a relationship decision.
A grade school teacher remarked on a social media post that she planned to use some of my African proverbs for her class room lessons.
Another reader revealed he plagiarized one of the quotes in a love letter.
Even the publisher, who often questions my propensity for focusing too much on the negatives, said she enjoyed the column.
Often criticized for my hard hitting—albeit timely and relevant— column themes, I felt relieved and appreciated from the comments. So much so, I thought I would close out our 47th year of publication with additional gems from the Motherland. Next week, it’s back to business as usual as I will provide highlights of my interview with Republican presidential candidate, Senator Tim Scott.
We are what our thinking makes us—Nigerian
When webs of a spider join together they can trap a lion—Ethiopian
One who learns, will eventually teach—Ethiopian
It is the duty of children to wait on elders, not the elders on the children—Kenyan
A pretty face and fine clothes do not make character—Congolese
A good woman should be as bright as sunshine, as black as ink, and as sweet as honey—Ghanaian
There is no phrase that doesn’t have a double meaning—Kenyan
Beauty is not sold or eaten—Nigerian
The sweetness of sugar is not in its color—Kenyan
What an old man sees laying down, a young man can never see even when he climbs a tree—Nigerian
A woman without a man is like a field without a seed—Ethiopian
A fool is a wise man’s ladder—South African
A three cannot stand without roots—Congolese
What the child says, he has heard at home—Nigerian
Love is like a baby; it needs to be treated tenderly—Congolese
The soul of a rich man has no taboos—Ghanaian
The goat says; nobody willingly walks to their own death—Ghanaian
Only scratch where you can reach—Kenyan
A sinking ship doesn’t need a captian—Kenyan
Wisdom is like fire. People take it from others—Congolese
There is no medicine to cure hatred—Ghanaian
Don’t buy a boat that is under water—Congolese
Only a fool sits in water—Kenyan
Affairs of the home should not be discussed in the public square—Kenyan
If you watch your pot your food will not burn—Nigerian
If two selfish young men sit next to a pot of water, the water spills out on the ground—Malawian
No one drinks medicine on behalf of a sick person—South African
Knowledge is like a lion, it cannot be gently embraced—South African
A child does not laugh at the ugliness of his mother–Ghanaian
A snake that you can see does not bite—Mozambican
A healthy person who begs for food is an insult to a generous farmer—Ghanaian
Fine words do not produce food—Nigerian
If we put a hammer in every person’s hand, could they become a blacksmith? —Ghanaian
A white man never forgets Europe—Congolese
If you have no fish you have to eat bread–Ghanaian
The child of an elephant will not be a dwarf—Nigerian
Children are the reward of life—Congolese
One who has not learned to walk cannot climb a ladder—Ethiopian
He who recovers from sickness forgets about God—Ethiopian
Bad friends will prevent you from having good ones–Gabon
Even the fiercest leaders in the world is overcome by sleep—Malawian
A flea can trouble a lion more than a lion can trouble a flea—Kenyan
Water may cover the footprint on the ground, but it does not cover the words of the mouth—Nigeran
The words of the elders become sweet someday—Congolese
A leader who does not take advice is not a leader—Kenyan
Pride cannot replace a dinner—Ethiopian
All monkeys cannot hang on the same tree—Kenyan
A pretty basket does not prevent worries—Congolese
If God breaks your leg, He will teach you how to limp—Ghanaian
Having a good discussion is like having riches—Kenyan
Look to the past to help us move forward to the future—Unknown
He who refuses to obey cannot command—Kenyan
Leadership comes from God—Kenyan
He who thinks he is leading and has no one following him is only taking a walk—Malawian
Rain beats on a leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots—Ghanaian
A quarrelsome chief does not hold a village together
—Malawian
Other people’s wisdom prevents the king from being called a fool—Nigerian
The one nearest to the enemy is the real leader—Ugandan
A weaning baby that does not cry aloud will die on its mothers back—Zambian
Never marry a woman who has bigger feet than you
—Mozambican
Mothers-in-law are hard of hearing—Congolese
If two wise men always agree, then there is no need for one of them—Zambian
Slander by the stream will be heard by the frogs—Mozambican
A person who has children does not die—Nigerian
If you think you have someone eating out of your hands, it is a good idea to count your fingers—Nigerian
When the roots of a tree begin to decay, it spreads death to the branches—Nigerian
In the moment of crisis, the wise build bridges while the foolish build dams—Nigerian
He who marries for beauty marries trouble—Nigerian
The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people—Ghanaian
A large chair does not make a king—Senegalese
The strong do not need clubs—Senegalese
The family is like the forest; if you are outside, it is dense; if you are inside, you see that each tree has its own position.
An intelligent enemy is better than a stupid friend—Senegalese
There can be no peace without understanding—Senegalese
If the mice laughs at the cat, it means there is a hole nearby
—Nigerian
A big fish is caught with big bait—Sierra Leone
Patience puts a crown on the head—Ugandan
The only insurance against fire is to have two houses—Nigerian
The cockroach who wants to rule the chicken must hire the fox as a bodyguard —Sierra Leone
Do not tell the man who is carrying carrying you that he stinks—Sierra Leone
The roaring lion kills no prey—Nigerian
A crowd can easily overpower a bull—South African
.
Hope does not disappoint—South African
A large chair does not make a king—Sudanese
Do not call a dog with a whip in your hand—Sudanese
Money can’t talk, yet it can make lies look true—South African
A child is a child of everyone—Sudanese
The disobedient follow obeys in a pot of soup—Nigerian
He who is destined for power does not have to look for it—Ugandan
If a blind man says, ‘let’s throw stones,’ be assured that he has stepped on one—Nigerian
Without a leader, the black ants are confused—Ugandan
You cannot climb to the mountain top without crushing some weeds along the way—Ugandan
He who cannot dance will say the drum is bad—Ashanti tribe
The more feathers a chicken has, the bigger it looks—Zambian
Elders do not lock all the doors—Zambian
Every woman is beautiful until she speaks—Zambian
If you are ugly you must either learn to dance or make love
You have little power over what’s not yours—Zambian
When the music changes, so does the dance—Nigerian
He is a fool whose sheep runs away twice—Ashanti tribe
The poor man and the rich man do not play together—Ashanti tribe
Hotep...
Leave a Reply