Pidgin Proverbs

Solape Adetutu Adeyemi

1. Circle

Life na wheel, e dey spin,

Sometime e smooth, sometime e thin.

We waka dey go, no be joke,

But na same ground, wheel go choke.

 

2. Water Pass Water

River get mouth, e no dey talk,

E just dey flow, e no dey shock.

Person wey sabi, no go shout,

Water pass water, life go sort out.

 

3. Sand Wey Scatter

E fit build house, e fit scatter,

Sand no dey vex, e no matter.

Today e solid, tomorrow dust,

Na so we dey learn, life no be rust.

 

4. Eye Wey See

Eye wey see, no go fit blind,

But wetin e see, dey stay for mind.

Truth be like fire, e dey burn,

Na only courage fit make us turn.

 

5. Palm Oil and Rain

Palm oil no dey mix with rain,

But still, both dey for one domain.

E teach us say, we fit dey apart,

Yet for this world, all na one heart.

 

6. Pidgin fit turn wisdom sweet like jollof; na the rhythm of life inside words.

 

7. Life

Life na market, we all dey buy,

Sometime laughter, sometime cry.

As e dey come, na so e dey go,

Na wetin you carry, go show for show.

 

8. Loss

Empty chair, voice no dey,

Heart dey heavy, words no play.

But life dey move, e no dey wait,

We fit find light, even for gate.

 

9. Regret

If to say, na talk wey sweet,

But e no fit carry leg repeat.

Yesterday don go, tomorrow dey wait,

Learn your lesson, no dey debate.

 

10. Living

Chop today, but no forget,

Tomorrow fit come with small regret.

Dey your lane, enjoy your style,

Na the joy you find go make am worthwhile.

Solape Adetutu Adeyemi is a dedicated professional with a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology and a Master's in Environmental Management. She is a researcher, a consultant,a passionate environmental sustainability enthusiast and a talented award winning creative writer, with her works published in esteemed journals and magazines, including Writenow Literary Journal, TV Metro, Poetry Marathon Anthology, The Guardian newspaper, The Kalahari Review and the Indiana Review among others.