SOME PROVERBS USED IN IBUSA TOWN FOR IMPLICIT COMMUNICATION

IMPLICIT COMMUNICATION
CONTENT: Proverbs in Ibusa Ibo dialect(P)
Literary meaning(L)
Inferred meaning(I)

Okililkili kana ga ukwu ose(P)
You can only go round a pepper tree you can’t climb it.
No matter what you do, I can’t be conquered.

Oo nyuahulu ni gbudu ashia
He messed up the aired in the market.
He disgraced himself in public.

Mili onye ga la adie hu fe
The water I ought to drink will not pass me by.
I will not miss my portion.

Ife onye lolu nwanmadu chie ya mele ye
Whatever a man wishes for another man’s children let his god deliver the same lot to his children.
Let you’re your god cover you with the evil wishes you desire for me.

Oboshi na atakpo adi e zu mo kpo ihu
Atakpo stream and oboshi stream will never meet or see.
I and evil will never meet. Or my path and your path will never cross.

Ife okeyi dinani fu nwata kwulu oto oma fua
What an elder sits to see, a child standing will not see it.
Heed to the advice of the elders.

Nwata nwe ije ifele
Only a child is permitted to do shameful things without mockery.
Go on this errand because everyone will over look it unlike if I were to engage on the same journey.

Kwem nammili togbo uko
Permit me to drink water and keep the cup.
Give me some breathing space.

Osem nna nnum ili ge chem. Ne be ino
The salt and pepper in my food that you to ate will not allow your evil plans to work.
The good I have done for you will nullify whatever evil thought you have against me.

Onye munwa neli ukpo na ashia
Who is the owner of the child eating corn pudding in the market?
Who is this untrained child disgracing his parents outside?

Onye nwe ndidi ne li azu ukpo
The patient one gets and eats the fish caught with the hook.
Patience delivers into your hands the priced portion.

Akufechesie odali awo
The proud flying insect will still come down for the frog to have his meal.
Run as much as you can, I will still get you. Or you will still fall back into my net.

Obuho ife ncha anya fu ko kwu
The mouth does not speak of everything the eye sees.
Don’t be lousy!

Onye malisia di e osi oyia ya du ge
If you know that your husband is a womanizer why ask your friend to escort you back home.
Since you know the end of this matter if I come with you, why invite me into it.

Agamebu adima igwuaju
The thorny plant is not good for carrying loads on the head.
I am not the type you mess up with.

Kanki Bulenisi kpali nabu
Why are you carrying it on your head and in your armpit
Mind your business.

Nkili nkili ka we kili ododo
You can only watch the color red but your eyes can’t change the color
Staring at me cannot do me any harm neither will it change my intention.

Ife shike ogbue
When a thing is too much it kills
Too much of anything is bad.

Imano na nmili ncha abai na anya
Your eyes cannot be blinded by soap when you inside a river
I can’t be here and this will happen to you. Or you can’t have a thing and be looking for it.

Bia kan bunya asso nna nti
Come; let me spit into your ear.
Come and hear this!

Atakata agbua
When you are not able to swallow a thing after much chewing you vomit it.
Do your worse, you can only get tired No matter what you do, am still standing!