Ìlá ló l’ẹmu: Why Palm Wine from Ìlá Holds Legendary Status in Yoruba Culture
Across Yoruba land, palm wine is cherished. But one town’s name keeps returning in solemn reverence. Why has Ìlá’s palm wine earned a reputation that refuses to fade?
Òròòru làá ṣ’èkà – Yoruba Wisdom on Cruelty, Exposure, and Consequence
Cruelty thrives in secrecy, but open injustice invites reckoning. This Yoruba proverb warns that harm done without shame never ends well.
Afi ọgbọ́n ọlọ́gbọ́n ṣe ọgbọ́n – Yoruba Wisdom on Collective Intelligence and Sound Judgment
A Yoruba proverb that redefines wisdom as the ability to draw from others. True elders are not those who know everything, but those who know where to find insight.
Agbàlọ́wọ́ọ méèrí, Baálẹ̀ Jòǹtolo — Yoruba Wisdom on Power and Extortion
Some leaders are remembered for building. Others are remembered for taking. Yoruba wisdom preserves both, but never confuses the two. A piercing Yoruba proverb that names power without mercy and leadership without conscience. When authority feeds on scarcity, culture never forgets, and neither does history.
Àjẹ́ ké l’áǹá — Yoruba Wisdom on Coincidence
When warning precedes tragedy, Yoruba wisdom urges us to look closely. A sharp proverb on guilt, foretelling, and accountability.
Ẹnu tí a fi ń pe Adégún ni a fi ń pe Adéògún – Yoruba Wisdom on Public Opinion
A poetic Yoruba proverb revealing how the same mouth crowns and uncrowns. A reflection on public opinion, reputation, and the instability of praise.
À ṣé oò tiẹ̀ le – Yoruba Wisdom on False Bravado and Pressure
A quaint Yoruba slang that mocks false bravado, fake toughness, and untested confidence. When pressure arrives, who truly holds and who folds?
À ńrí wèrè sá — Yoruba Wisdom on Escaping Danger
What happens when danger still expects obedience? This quirk Yoruba proverb exposes the irony of fleeing harm while being asked to wait for it.
Ewu iná kìí pa àwòdì – Yoruba Wisdom on Resilience and Mastery Over Danger
A Yoruba proverb celebrating strength and preparedness: the peril of fire cannot harm the falcon. Wisdom for courage grounded in skill and resilience.