Nigerian Pidgin Proverbs That Will Surely Make You Laugh

Anyone who knows me very well would know that I speak Pidgin English wella! Oh yeah, I roll like that too… Lol

We can’t deny that Pidgin English has come a long way in Nigeria. Maybe we’d discuss the origin of the language some time later, but for sure, it has come to stay. Now we have Songs, Movies, TV Programmes, Radio & TV Stations where only Pidgin is spoken and they’ve all made a huge impact on the society.

There’s something about Pidgin English that just makes the mood lighter and makes everything seem so funny. However, proverbs in Pidgin usually have a very strong meaning. Although it might be said as a joke or in a funny way, when you translate it properly, it thoroughly makes sense!

Here are some courtesy of Mayo Bayo of tlkdrum.com:

Craze no hard to form, na the trekking be wahala
loose translation: Easier said than done

No matter how hot your tempa be, e no fit boil beans
loose translation: Calm down, your temper won’t solve the problem

Chicken wey run way from Borno go Ibadan go still end up inside pot of soup
loose translation: You can’t run away from your destiny

Today’s newspaper na tomorrow Suya wrap
loose translation: Keep calm! Nothing lasts forever

Cow wey dey in a hurry to go America go come back as corn beef
loose translation: Just be patient. Let the game come to you. Don’t rush!

Akara and moin moin get the same parent, na wetin dey pass through make dem different
loose translation: How you start doesn’t matter, what matters is how you finish.

Leave matter for Mathias and Sabi for Sabinus
loose translation: Give everyone what they deserve.

The difference between kpekere and plantain chips na packaging
loose translation: Don’t judge based on appearance alone

Escort me, Escort me, na im slave trade take start
loose translation: Serious things sometimes start like a joke

The water wey dem use take make eba can never be recovered back
loose translation: Don’t cry over spilled milk

Which proverb do you think has the strongest meaning? Do you have any other proverb in Pidgin to add to this list? Feel free to share.