These Street Yannings From Young Nigerians Will Blow Your Mind

My good friend, Michael, made me put some cool African quotes together, in a piece I titled, “8 African Street Quotes That Hold Deep Life Wisdom,” which turned out great. I didn’t expect it to receive the attention it got. But people loved it.

Some persons asked for more quotes. So I decided to put this list together.

However, while the previous quotes were words of the elderly, this list comprises coined wisdom from the streets by our young folks. I thought I spice it up a bit. So please do enjoy.

1. Every lose-guard is a sin.

This quote was popularized by young Nigerians with a very meaningful idea behind it. When you live in Nigeria you quickly discover that’s survival of the smartest.

Everyone’s looking to game the system or the next person. And if you’re not smart and on your toes, you’ll fall victim. So to lose guard, (lose your guard), means failing to be smart and be alert.

But most importantly, and where the true wisdom of this quote lies, is you lose opportunities in life when you’re not prepared and on your toe.

Young Nigerians believe to make it and to win every opportunity you have to shine your eyes.

Translated: “Not being prepared will cost you.

2. Every hustle has a payday

Nigerians are hustlers. And this isn’t to brag. Coming from a society where the government has failed, everyone is an entrepreneur. Everyone has to fend for themselves.

Simply put, Nigeria is a place where you have to create your opportunity.

It’s why there’s no country in the world where you won’t find a Nigerian. We travel for pleasure. But mostly, we travel to find better opportunities.

The young folks understand this more than anyone else. And they’re grinding their ass off daily to make earns meet. Just as we work hard, we also hope hard. Looking forward to that day when the labour will be worth it.

That’s why young Nigerians always say, “Every hustle has its payday.”

You just gotta keep grinding.

Translated: “Every labour has its day of reward.”

3. Las las God nor go shame us.

This is one of my favourites. It’s a saying of hope.

I say this often when I think about the things I’ve been through. Sometimes the future may seem bleak. But we can’t stop. We can’t give up. We have to keep moving forward. It’s hard and uncertain — however, las las God nor go shame us.

Translated: “In the end, God will not allow us to end up in shame.”

4. Who naked nor dey put hand for pocket

You cannot give what you do not have.

It takes kindness, to help others. It takes character, to respect others. From a sound mind, we advise and guide others. You stretched your hands to help only because you got hands.

We give only the things we have.

The man with no clothes knows not to try and find his pocket. He ain’t gat it. This quote is a powerful one. In life, withdrawal is made only after a deposit has been made.

Translation: “A naked person doesn’t search for pockets.”

5. Pikin wey Dey find party rice no suppose to fear dance

The power of this quote speaks to life in general. It means for whatever it is we dream about, there’s a price to be paid.

When a person seeks a goal, he/she must be willing to engage in what’s required to make it happen. Attached to every promise is a hurdle one must be ready to overcome.

To dream is easy. Overcoming the challenge is the challenge. So a person who goes in search of food at a party must be willing to dance.

Translated: “A person searching for food at a party, must be willing to dance for it.”

6. Tables nor dey turn again! Na who wise dey change seat.

This is an interesting one. Nigerians believe in the idea of hope. While working on one’s dream, hope is vital. However, one who wishes to succeed shouldn’t only hope.

Many people fail to achieve their desired objective because they leave it up to chance.

This quote says that a wise person knows when to leave a table and find a seat somewhere else. Rather than waiting and hoping the table turns. If it hasn’t turned for a while, chances are, it ain’t turning.

Translation: “Tables don’t turn anymore! But a wise person knows when to change seat.”

7. If givers nor dey careful beggars go first am build house

A brilliant one on the need to be cautious as a giver.

It’s okay to be a giver, however, we must know to give wisely. We shouldn’t give to others to the detriment of ourselves.

The quote speaks to human kindness, that it should be guided with wisdom. Some people only care about taking. People who’ll build off of you.

As a giver, if you ain’t careful, takers will drain you and move higher while you sluggard behind.

Translation: “If givers aren’t careful beggars will build their house first.”

8. We dey roll dice but na God dey bring double six.

A lovely quote that acknowledges our limitations about our labour and effort.

As we look into the future going after our dreams, there’s only so much we can do. There are many things outside our control. We have to depend on God to help us with the things we cannot do. Touch those we cannot touch and create opportunities we can’t create.

This lovely quote acknowledges the power of God in providing for His people. Just as the scripture says, “I sow, Apollos watered, it’s God that gives the increase.”

Translation: “We roll the dice but it’s God that gives us a double six.”

9. Chop life problem nor dey finish.

Yes… life is a neverending cycle of ups and downs. Sometimes you’re celebrating and sometimes you’re moaning over a problem.

Life is a combination of summer and winter.

We can’t allow the bad times to stop us from enjoying the good times.

That’s the message of this quote. Enjoy your life as best you can, because there’s no end to life’s challenges.

Translation: “Enjoy life because challenges never end.”

10. Loyalty when never see money fear am.

I’ve often said, “We’re not who we say we are until life presents us the opportunity to be otherwise.”

You cannot say you’re a sincere person if you’ve never been put in a situation where sincerity can cost you something important.

Just as you can’t say you’re not a thief if you’ve never seen $100,000 on the corner with no name on it.

Get the gist now?

This quote points to the fact that a person may prove to be loyal when they have no reason to be disloyal. In other words, money and success reveal true character.

Translation: “Be cautious of loyalty that’s yet to find success.”

Conclusion!

The beauty of listening to people from different families, cultures, and nationalities is you get a glimpse into their way of life.

I hope that by these words you’re able to see that there’s good and also wisdom in all places. And though some countries have been stigmatized for various reasons, most often it doesn’t paint the entire picture.

My purpose here is to give you and many others a different picture of Nigeria.

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This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.

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