16 hilarious Nigerian proverbs and their meaning

Proverbs are often used in Nigeria by mostly the elderly to pass a message or hidden truths to one another or advice to the younger generations.

These words of wisdom are sometimes said with a sense of humor that can make you laugh out loud.

Below are 16 hilarious and popular proverbs in Nigeria and their meanings.

1. He who goes to sleep with an itchy anus wakes up with smelly hands.

Meaning: This proverb is talking about procrastination. You can put off your duties as much as you want, when tomorrow comes, they will still be there. A problem will persist until it is solved.

2. Trouble dey sleep yanga go wake am.

In English the proverb translates to “trouble was sleeping, and pride woke it up.” The proverbs simple urges you to humble yourself, though used as medicine after death, it is said as advice for future purposes just as you ask someone to let sleeping dogs lie. When you see trouble humble yourself, if you allow pride to becloud you, you will surely wake conflict up.

3. Even if a goat frowns, it will be taken to the marketplace and sold.

The hidden meaning of this saying is in the fact that if something is predestined to happen, it will happen, no matter how hard you try to avoid it. If you need to pass exams at school, you will have to pass them, however painful it would seem to you. Also means do not force it or do the unthinkable because nothing will change the outcome.

4. If you sell eggs at a market, you should never be the one who starts a fighting.

The intricate meaning of this proverb is the following: whatever you are scheming can turn against you and ruin everything you have. Just like an egg seller can be beaten by his own eggs, you can be beaten with your own weapon and lose it in the end.

5. A ripe fruit will drop when it notices an honest person.

The secret meaning of this one is in the belief that an honest person can get everything by their honesty and other dignities. Even fruits will drop in front of them. At the same time, there can be another clarification: something like, if you are decent and worthy, the luck will go into your hands by itself.

6. A person with one eye doesn’t thank the Lord until they meet a blind one.

This proverb clearly means that people don’t normally appreciate what they have until they face a much tougher situation than the one they are currently in. It’s possible to be thankful even for having one eye but people understand it only when they see someone who has even less.

7. It’s not fishing if you don’t have a net, it’s simply bathing.

The meaning of this proverb is clear enough. You should not start doing anything if you don’t have tools because it will be a waste of time and nothing more.

8. If you are not a good dancer, then keep on sitting down.

What can be clearer than this? If you can’t do something well enough, there’s no use trying to do this, not even starting to do this. In reality, there can not only be no result of such actions but also a certain harm.

9. A man who marries a beautiful woman usually marries troubles.

It’s often believed that a beautiful wife can cause a man a lot of problems. Everybody around want her and the poor husband dies of jealousy knowing no rest or peace.

10. However hard a lizard would do press up, it will never have an alligator’s chest.

This is one of the funniest proverbs from Nigeria and it means a very simple truth: you will never be who you are not, no matter how hard you try

11. Lion no fit born goat.

This ultimately means that the apple does not fall too far from the tree. Who you are is who you will give birth to. The proverb can be used as a form of praise or condemnation, it all depends on the situation. The child will always be a chip off the old block.

12. You can’t make food out of fine words.

This is bare truth: talking, no matter how pleasant and fine, can’t turn into something material. You can talk a lot about food but you will stay hungry unless you take some real food.

13. A fowl that’s disobedient learns obedience in a cooking pot.

This is about the life’s lessons. Almost all the rebellious, disobedient and daring ones are cut short by some life situations that teaches them humbleness. Often, it happens too late.

14. No matter how hot your anger is, it cannot cook yam

This saying speaks about the constructive approach to everything. Your emotions can be tough and they can grab you but you need to remember that your anger, sadness, jealousy or offence are not able to build anything useful.

15. Today’s newspaper becomes a trash wrap tomorrow.

It’s as clear as that: nothing lasts forever in its initial shape. Even if you are a king today, you can wake up and be a beggar tomorrow. Appreciate what you have every given day.

16. He who’s short is not always a child.

This saying obviously means that there’s no use sticking to the very first impression of a person. It’s better to find out more and then to compose an opinion. Literally, it means that things often appear something they really are not.



BS