FORTY NIGERIAN PROVERBS FOR YOUR REFLECTION

Considering the fact that Nigerian cultures and traditions are fading out on a daily basis. Thus in the spirit of reviving those culture in our own little way, we deem it fit to bring to you some of the famous Nigerian quotes or proverbs for your reasoning. As we hope you will savour them one by one:

ü  A man does not wander far from where his corn is roasting.

ü  A rat is not born a rabbit.

ü  A tiger does not have to proclaim its tigritude.

ü  A traveler to distant places should make no enemies.

ü  A tree does not move unless there is wind.

ü  A tree is best measured when it's down.

ü  A tree is known by its fruit.

ü  An old man is there to talk.

ü  Fine words do not produce food.

ü  “Give me a push from my back" does not mean give me a hunchback.

ü  If a blind man says, "Let's throw stones," be assured that he has stepped on one.

ü  If a monkey is amongst dogs, why won't it start barking.

ü  If crocodiles eat their own eggs, what would they do to the flesh of a frog?

ü  If death be terrible, the fault is not in death, but thee.

ü  If one finger brought oil it soiled others.

ü  If you fail to take away a strong man's sword when he is on the ground, will you do it when he gets up?

ü  It is the fear of offence that makes men swallow poison.

ü  It is the first step that is difficult.

ü  It takes a village to raise a child.

ü  It takes all sorts to make a world.

ü  No sane person sharpens his machete to cut a banana tree.

ü  Not to know is bad; not to wish to know is worse.

ü  Not to know the good we have Till time has stolen the cherish'd gift away, Is cause of half the misery that we feel, And makes the world the wilderness it is.

ü  Not to oversee workmen, is to leave your purse open.

ü  One goat cannot carry another goat's tail.

ü  Profit is profit even in Mecca.

ü  The death that will kill a man begins as an appetite.

ü  The disobedient fowl obeys in a pot of soup.

ü  The frog does not jump in the daytime without reason.

ü  The house roof fights the rain, but he who is sheltered ignores it.

ü  The house sweeper's buttock is never at one direction.

ü  The hunter does not rub himself in oil and lie by the fire to sleep.

ü  The lizard that jumped from the high iroko tree said he would praise himself if no one else did.

ü  The one being carried does not realize how far away the town is.

ü  When the mice laugh at the cat, there is a hole nearby.

Compiled by: PenClubites

From the stable of “worldofquotes.com”

Circle of Lords- by Abdulhafeez Oyewole

Once upon a lonely soul,

Deserted by desert and scorching skies,

Abandoned in the bewilderment of caressing climes:

That was off the (many) seas,

Of the vales and of the hills,

That was off the (sundry) green fields,

The clean kits and kitting…

In reverse, was mesmerizing retreats,

Domiciled a solitary reaper,

Who happened to be unaltered lass;

Deserted by the greyish pastures,

Cloaked by the freshness of the (many) seas-

That which she laundered and showered in.

And surrounded by the roses,

And extra soothing green blooms.

Above his and her realm were

Flying insects’ hives,

And feathers’ nests.

Below their confinements were

Arachnids’ habitats,

And crustaceans’ lochs.

He lived in a rousing land,

Where (more) faunae he landlords.

She lived in a ravishing field,

Where (more) floras she landladies.

By: ABDULHAFEEZ, Oyewole

Look beyond the surface- by Habibat Salawu

More often than not, people exhibit one common trait. You must be wondering what I am talking about. All right, in my first year Economics class, the lecturer had talked about Economic theories and two common fallacies or mistakes made when developing a theory. Now one of such fallacies was what he called "fallacy of composition". This fallacy arises when one infers that something is true of the whole from the fact that it is true for some part of the whole. In other words, because something is true of one, you therefore deduce that it is true for all.

Beyond Economics, this fallacy rings true in the wider world. People no matter their station and place have the tendency to judge others based on the actions of one person. Consequently, a whole tribe, community, group, clique, sect and oh, even nations have been labeled as “such and such” just because a member(s) of that group exhibited a certain behaviour, usually negative. Here are a few case examples: because a few Nigerians have decided to take the corrupt route, then the foreign world looks at all Nigerians as potential criminals; because a few Northerners are unsavoury, then all Northerners should be treated with caution because they are violent!; because it has been said that some Yoruba women are dirty, then all Yoruba women are dirty (we have made a lot of jokes about this one); because he steals, then his family members are potential thieves. The list is endless. Most of the time, these opinions are formed by people not due to personal contacts or experiences with such people, but from “hearsay.”

Each time someone asks of my tribe and I mention it (Ebira), they pause and I have come to expect that reaction all the time. And am trusting you must have heard one story or the other about Ebiras, so you know what I am talking about. Much later, after they have gotten to know me, I get statements like “I would never have pegged you for an Ebira” or “You are different from what I know of them”. You would think that as intellectuals and students, we would reason a lot differently from others. Well… that is not the case. Oh! Yours sincerely has been guilty of this attitude at one time or the other. I had not fully discounted the story about Yoruba women before coming to the university. And now?...A close friend of mine and my present roommate are Yoruba and they are just as hygienic as the next person...if not more.

Pals, I have learned that a person’s personality is not always influenced by background or identity. The society and environment plays a key role in shaping who we are. So give that person a chance before you go judging him based on where he’s from or who his parents or friends are. Look at people in terms of what they are, not who they are. To do this, you have to get to know them. Look beyond what you see.

Personality NOT identity should be the criterion for building opinions and relationships with people. Believe me, our world will be a friendlier place for it.

By: HABIBAT, Salawu