Iṣẹ́ la rí, a kò r’ówó — Yoruba Wisdom on Unrewarded Labour
When effort is obvious, but reward is missing, the Yoruba language names the frustration plainly. A sharp, sarcastic saying about work without return.
Bí Onírèsé kò fíngba mọ́ — Yoruba Wisdom on Enduring Legacy
What happens to meaningful work when the hands that made it go quiet? A Yoruba saying offers a powerful reflection on legacy, craftsmanship, and why some contributions refuse to fade.
Bí ìyà ńlá bá gbéni ṣánlẹ̀ – Yoruba Wisdom on Compounded Misfortune and Vulnerability
What happens after a great fall? This Yoruba saying reflects on how major setbacks expose us to smaller blows, and what true wisdom demands when someone is already down.
Àgbà wá búra bí èwe kò bá șe ọ́ rí — Yoruba Wisdom on Humility, Age, and Memory
Can any elder truly swear they were never foolish? This Yoruba wisdom confronts pride, memory, and the compassion required for true leadership.
Àgbà tí kò bínú – Yoruba Wisdom on Temperament and Influence
In Yoruba thought, authority is not sustained by fear but by emotional steadiness. This saying explores why elders who master anger become centres of loyalty, learning, and lasting influence.
A kìí f’Ọ́ká l’ọ́kà: Yoruba Wordplay, Tone, and the Wisdom of Mismatch
One saying, three meanings, and a lesson hidden in tone. This Yoruba expression reveals how language, appetite, and danger intersect, and why naming is never the same as knowing.
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.