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The choice of this play out of several written by Asika anchors on 
the fact that these plays, more than the other plays of Asika, make 
use of Igbo cultural background and proverbs.  The playwright 
made use of Igbo setting. There are proverbs, idioms and practices 
that exemplify the Igbo culture and Igbo worldview. Oral 
Aesthetic is highly portrayed in Asika's Omalinze in his constant 
use of songs, proverbs and other oral traditions. The paper did a 
textual analysis of the play using primary and secondary data. The 
theoretical framework for the study is cultural criticism, which is 
the study of literature at a work in a social context. They believe 
that cultural studies must be inter-disciplinary in its tendency. 
Making use of insights from anthropology, history, sociology, 
psychology, philosophy and other field. The cultural critics 
typically make no distinction between high and low culture. The 
study concludes on the various aspect of oral tradition in order to 
portray the unique quality of being African in the use of proverbs 
and creates deep meaning and exploration of African situation in 
the worldview.
Keywords: Proverbs, Oral tradition, culture, folklore

Introduction
 African literature consists of a body of literary works in 
different languages and genres, ranging from oral literature to 
literature written in African and colonial languages. In most 
culture of the world, folklore has always been the earliest type of 
literature. Folklore which can be called Oral literature is as old as 
man. It is a type of literature disseminated in a particular 
community as an intrinsic part of their existence. The literary 
works that were written in African languages as well as the 
traditional oral texts went virtually unacknowledged until the late 
20th century.  
 This increased the acceptance of oral traditions in African 
literature. Therefore, the use of African oral traditions such as 
proverbs, riddles, songs, folktales, oral narratives and poetry 

The Use of Proverbs as Essential Ingredients for 
Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to 
Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze

Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel
Department of English

Chukwemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, 
Anambra state

samuelschukwudi@gmail.com
07031312879

&

Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.
Department of English Language and Literature.

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
dn.paschal@unizik.edu.ng

08032788838

Abstract
The African system of communication thrives on proverbs which 
help in driving salient points home. A study of this nature 
encourages other scholars to probe into the imagery of writers in 
Africa, Nigeria and the Igbo race since proverbs help to explore 
the situation the writers are portraying. This paper explores the use 
of proverbs as an aspect of oral tradition in Asika's Omanlinze. 
Proverb is the form which has proved itself to be of great 
continuing relevance to modern man. Proverbs are often identified 
with elderly members of the society. The study discovered that the 
playwright used his artistic power through proverbs to give an 
insight in what the culture of Igbo was, through the dramatic 
setting of Iduu Kingdom. The aim of this study is to explore the use 
of Igbo proverbs in Asika's Omalinze.The plays to be used for the 
critical illustration of how Asika uses Igbo proverbs in Omalinze. 

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Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



constitute the forms of his social, moral and spiritual 
communication.
Nigerian writers writing in English are more selective than those 
writing in Nigerian languages in the use of oral traditions like 
proverbs, riddles and anecdotes in their creative works. Often, the 
Nigerian writers who write in English relate the use of oral 
traditions in their works largely to the stylistic aspects of oral 
literature. Consequently, most of their works, with a few 
exceptions, make use of proverbs for purposes of localizing their 
works. Moreover, this relationship between oral tradition and 
written literature found in contemporary Nigerian literature can be 
said to be consistent and seminal. Udenta in in Revolutionary 
Aesthetics & the African Literary Process agrees to the claim 
above when he asserts that: 

Modern African literature and the critical response to it 
are   a consequence of two distinct cultural and 
aesthetic forces: the  received traditionalist aesthetic 
imagination and the aesthetic  o v e r -  d e t e r m i n e d  b y 
colonialism. The interplay of these two  c u r r e n t s 
sometimes cripples African Creative Productions and  
critical practice by either confining the literature to the 
dictates of  an immutable traditionalist aesthetic 
injunction or by foisting on  its bastardized forms of 
Euro-centric aesthetic thinking (24). 

The aesthetic-artistic qualities of folklore lie in the context of 
performance. The most basic characteristic of folklore is that it is a 
performed expression. FBO Akporobaro in his book Introduction 
to African Oral Literature agreed on this as he expressed.

By this, we mean that an oral literary expression exists 
as a performance, as a speech accentuated and rendered 
alive by various gestures, social conventions and the 
unique occasion in which it is performed. In effect, oral 
literary forms have their existence and qualities in the 
act of performance. It is a speech act or discourse whose 

persisted and generally influenced contemporary African 
literature (drama, prose and poetry). Ezenwa-Ohaeto in 
Contemporary Nigerian Poetry and the Poetics of Orality once 
remarked “The exploitation of oral tradition through a synthesized 
creative crucible enables the modern Nigerian writer to produce 
fresh, exciting and artistic poetry” (23). Ezenwa-Ohaeto's 
assertion here clearly expressed the ability of oral traditions such 
as proverbs, tales, myths etc. to sustain works of African literature. 
Certainly African literature consists of the orality of verbal 
communication and absorbs extensively, several cultural elements 
to communicate and to give African literature a local content. 
Interestingly too, this consciousness exhibited by most African 
writers shows the need in the use of African oral traditions such as 
proverbs in creative works.

 Also, folklore can differ from one culture to another in 
form, text, and context. It exists as a basic component of these 
cultures where they are transmitted orally from generation to 
generation.
Ngozi Chuma-Udeh in her book Trends and Issues in Nigerian 
Literature, once expressed that: 

The oral literature of a people is an embodiment of their 
ways of life, their culture, and beliefs. Through this 
medium, these societies ensure the continuity of their 
cultural heritage. The oral literature therefore 
comprises of all values, beliefs, and generation of a 
community of people. These are passed down 
generation lane through face-to-face contact between 
the elderly and custodian and the younger generation. 
(11).

Man is a storytelling being, who loves singing, dancing and 
religious worship as source of pleasure and mode of being. His 
aesthetic creations in stories, folktales, songs and myths and 
proverbs are like today's modern stories, novel and drama 

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Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



generosity, patience, wisdom, and common sense… 
Point to moral through songs, sayings, legends, myths 
and proverbs… Make people, especially younger 
members of the society, aware of their ethos, their 
cultural heritage, tribal history, mores, laws… African 
folkways and their oral tradition dealt with man's 
dilemma in his existential being and tried to grapple with 
man's dilemma and adventures in life (110).

Nnolim's assertion above is valid in all ramifications. This is 
because for the Nigerian writer, Africa has the tradition he needs. 
As he views at what seems to be different in geographical 
boundaries, he sees, essentially, the same African people, the 
similarity of ideas, of patterns, of thoughts, of modes of behaviour. 
He, thus, tries to put together the relevant ideas and thoughts in his 
writing. This view, though gradually transforming as a discipline 
of folklore develop over centuries in Africa and are seriously 
moving studies of folklore or oral literature in general towards a 
global perspective. These writers rise up to dispute the erroneous 
view of the West.
 
 Proverb according Chinua Achebe is the “palm oil that 
people use to eat words.” Proverbs are an embodiment of the 
people's smartness. They are mnemonics encompassing the 
intelligence of people's philosophy. Africa continents always view 
conversation filled with proverb to be linguistically rich and 
eloquent. They are prerogatives of the wise. They express the truth 
of African personal and social experience. Proverbs have used by 
many writers to ascertain some certain facts about life. Through 
proverbs, one can have deep thought into some philosophical view 
about life. Achebe in most of his literary works, well used 
proverbs as means of driving out his point in a concise way. 

 The traditional African drama, like Asika's Omanlinze 
dramaturgy, often associated with rituals, oral traditions and social 

beauty of form and aesthetic effects derived from the 
process and act of its articulation or recreation orally (3). 

One of the most compelling trends in African literature today 
remains the constant use of African oral traditions by literary 
artists. With particular reference to Nigeria, many Nigerian 
creative works so far produced are steeped in the oral traditions of 
their indigenous communities, with a strong emphasis on oral 
performance. There is always a performer in Folklore. To arouse 
and maintain audience responses and interest is one of the major 
functions of the oral performers as an artist. Also, Ngozi Chuma-
Udeh in her book Trends and Issues in Nigerian Literature, 
explains:

Nigeria has a rich and thriving oral tradition which has 
existed as long as there was life in the numerous ethic 
communities. However, intensive attempts have been 
made by several uninformed white writers to establish 
some pointless, even useless hypothesis, namely that 
the black man has little or no significant oral literature. 
This assumption that the oral literature is an inevitable 
by-product of a general Western prejudice regarding 
some other cultures (11).

 The folk tradition in African literature has thus become 
part of the essential qualities of its literary expression, for the 
value of work of art transcends its documentary functions as the 
artist gives expression to perception of which he may not entirely 
know.  Nnolim, on his part, in Issues in African Literature 
brilliantly argues that: 

To whatever society (secret or communal) that our 
traditional folkways and oral tradition appealed, they did 
have the appreciation of the beautiful in mind - beauty 
surprised at its own arrival, in addition to performing the 
following functions: Impart practical wisdom… Provide 
some didactic purpose by teaching lessons in prudence, 

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COOU JOFOCUS: COOU Journal of Folklore and Cultural Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2023
Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



an imaginative piece that evokes emotion and promotes the beauty 
of African oral tradition.

Proverbs are common features of conversational eloquence to in 
African cultures and are of difference according to societal 
language involved in African society, proverbs are the means by 
which the people of the society base their arguments and activities 
of life. These proverbs were rendered orally in the society, most 
especially by the elders. Nwafor, John Onyema et al succinctly 
states that:

These proverbs were rendered orally in the society 
especially by elders. The culture of the people 
rendered orally like: “Our people say that” our elders 
said that, or “Our fathers said that” or our elders said 
that”. This has been a bond between the people and 
their concise statement and an oral tradition loses its 
originality prior to the influence of Western culture. 
(108).

The value of proverb to us does not live only in what it reveals of 
the thought of the past. African proverbs are literary forms which 
offer the traditional writers, speaker a medium for the projection 
and accomplishment of varieties of goals, in every conversation or 
formal conversation. He further says:

Thus, proverbs are used by elders in order to educate the 
young ones, but unlike folktales, proverbs do not have 
predictable patterns. They are amusement for 
intelligence and excellence, especially to the children. It 
exercises the mind and cause the children to think 
intuitively. Proverbs are very closely related to riddles. 
They are expressed briefly and concisely. They involve 
analogy whether of meaning, sound, rhythm or 
tone(110). 

events emphasizes mime, dance, music and costume rather than 
verbal art alone. Verbal art according to William R. Bascom in 
Verbal Art”. Delivered at the sixty-six Annual Meeting of the 
American Folklore Society, was proposed as a term to distinguish 
folktales, myths, legends, proverbs and other „literary forms‟ 
from the other materials which are commonly considered as 
folklore, where folk refers to a group of people with common 
culture.” The verbal art, such as proverbs, has influence on 
contemporary African drama and is particularly significant in 
Asika Ikechukwu's play. Oral literary forms continued to develop 
for radio and popular usage despite being new in African plays. 
Nevertheless, oral traditions including tales, drama, riddles, 
histories, myths and legends, songs, proverbs and other 
expressions are frequently employed to educate and entertain 
African people. Legend story, myths and proverbs additionally 
serve to remind every community of their ancestors‟ heroic deeds, 
their past and the precedents for their customs and traditions. 
Essential to folklore, most times, is a concern for presentation and 
oratory. Rems Umeasiegbu in Ask the Storyteller: Tales from 
Northern Nigeria assesses this notion by accepting that oral 
tradition is an important aspect of African life. „Proverbs are used 
in daily intercourse even in the judicial process; tales are told daily 
and talented storytellers are in high demand” (7). In submission to 
this, F.B.O Akporobaro in his book posits 

Proverbs are essential ingredients in African speech and 
culture. They are powerful carriage of traditional 
wisdom, social mores, and are effective means for moral 
education of all members of the society. Proverbs are 
humorous, delightful and aesthetically pleasing to the 
hearers(78). 

These critics whose opinions have been projected here are of the 
view that African proverbs have played a crucial role in giving the 
literature of the continent African identity, especially as it remains 

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COOU JOFOCUS: COOU Journal of Folklore and Cultural Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2023
Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



does not help very much in our search for definitions. 
Every adult knows the meaning of the word, but only few 
of such people are able to say what makes a statement an 
ilu. Another meaning of Ilu is “bitterness”. The ilu adds 
some bitterness to a speech. Just as anything bitter is 
accessible to a few who can withstand the bitterness, 
proverbs are inaccessible to most people since their 
meanings are not apparent to the uninitiated (9).

Despite this difficulty in arriving at a proper definition of Igbo 
proverbs, certain factors can serve as the origin of Igbo proverbs. 
These are Igbo tales, customs and traditions, beliefs and religion. 
Speaking about the nature of Igbo proverbs, Egudu says the 
characteristics of most Igbo proverbs possess “epigrammatic 
symmetry and pithiness, balanced structure and poetic rhythm” 
(77). African believes if one uses proverbs for the knowledgeable, 
he will be led to deeper knowledge (Etta 2012:198). While 
Obiechina posits that “Igbo proverbs supply a substratum of 
meaning and interpretation (and) are so much a part of Igbo oral 
tradition” (14).  Proverb is a form of oral tradition, expressed as 
coded language of a particular culture but remain an indisputable 
source of all human wisdom in Africa and among other culture 
(Etta 199).
 In many years ago, African proverbs have gain attention in 
branding world as a powerful tool for connecting with audience. 
The significance of African proverbs lies in their ability to convey 
complex ideas and concepts in concise and memorable way. They 
are used to express the importance of life and teach lessons of life, 
moral values, and cultural life to the younger generation. In many 
African cultures, proverbs are also used to express emotion, solve 
conflicts and offer advice for a deeper level.

Use of Proverb in Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze
The use of Igbo proverbs in Asika's Omalinze is to advise the 
society against taking rash decision and to embellish the plot. In 

Most proverbs teach in social contexts. They are didactic – impart 
moral lessons. Away from the adorning roles, proverbs exhibit 
enormous socialization potential. In most African communities 
like the Igbo, elders use them to teach the young wisdom about the 
world and how to behave. Regarding the educational dimensions 
of proverb, Finnegan, again comments as follows “Now proverbs 
often imply some general comment on the way people do, or 
should, or should not behave” (413).There is need for the infusion 
of proverbs into the literary works and adoption of various 
indigenous rhythms in the use of verbal tropes and concepts of 
space and time to structure quality essence in Nigerian literature.
In both traditional and modern context, the proverbs accomplish 
its social and communicative function in a very delicate form. 
Proverbs express culture, beliefs and social psychology that it may 
be agreed that proverbs constitute the genius and life of the people. 
Jasper Onyekwusi also says:

A proverb is about a man as he interacts with fellow men, 
with objects, animals, and plants in his environment. It is 
a truth derived between man and all phenomena in his 
environment and indeed between the various elements 
in the environment and themselves. Some examples of 
proverbs will be useful in our understanding of 
characteristics of proverbs (17).

Proverb does easily change overtime. Proverbs are unique to 
Africa. They may sometimes give an indication of the moral ideas 
underlying native attitudes. Proverbs have become a popular 
saying among people which is meant to advice, teach or warn. To 
be precise, Igbo proverbs are pithy verbal expressions that express 
the philosophy and the wisdom of the Igbo. It also embodies the 
culture and traditions of the Igbo. Umeasiegbu in The Palm Oil of 
Speech states his own definition of Igbo proverb further: 

The Igbo word for the proverb is Ilu. However, this word 

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COOU JOFOCUS: COOU Journal of Folklore and Cultural Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2023
Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



 One salient feature of Asika's plays is his sense of 
historical and cultural authenticity especially in her language. 
Though he writes in English, she also devises an African 
vernacular style of proverbs which strengthens the idiom of Igbo, 
his native language. It is, therefore, the contention of this study 
that Asika, a dramatist, achieves an appropriate language for each 
of his plays, largely through the use of Igbo proverbs. Asika's use 
of proverbs can function as clues to an understanding of his play 
because he uses them not merely to add touches of local aesthetics 
but to sound and reiterate themes of human concern, to embellish 
the plot of his plays, to castigate or admonish the characters in his 
plays, to clarify conflict, and to focus on Igbo cultural values. Igbo 
proverbs provide syntactic values by which the deeds of a tragic 
hero can be evaluated and measured. Understanding Asika's use of 
Igbo proverbs can lead to a better appreciation and evaluation of 
her artistic value to the Igbo community and Africa. In Iduu 
Kingdom, king Kanayo and his cabinets' conversation often 
include proverbs. The proverbs are used by them to shorten their 
rigmarole conversation and saves time.

King Kanayo: …….If a snake does not behave like a snake, then 
the children will use it the        

Firewood (42). 

 This Igbo proverb shows the courage displayed by King 
Kanayo to fight a cause against all odds. In establishing the theme 
of rebellion; a major aspect of the conflict situation in Omalinze is 
the contest between King Kanayo representing a strand of the 
political class and the Omalinze representing poor people of the 
society whose rights were being denied. We live in the world in 
which when you are always gentle and quiet, people like to bully 
you around. And unless you show people that you're being gentle 
does not mean that you are a doormat, people will take advantage 
of you. Snake is a very wise animal, hence the old saying “as wise 

Proverb use, the important things are the massages conveyed. The 
vehicles which convey the messages and the appropriateness of 
both message and vehicle move according to the context. In the 
play, there are proverbs, idioms that portray Igbo world view. His 
works promoted Igbo proverbs and aesthetic expression of Igbo 
nation. Proverbs express and beautify the culture of a given 
society. The Igbo proverbs in Asika's Omalinze, points out the 
themes; that of heedlessness, stubbornness, pride and raw 
determination. In conversations, they lubricate dialogues and 
equally form warnings as well as guides which lead the 
protagonist to the prorogations and resolution of the conflicts.
Proverbs are vital in Omalinze as every Acts of the play contains a 
proverb or a wise saying usually considered folk knowledge, 
which intend to be either advice or say some general truth about 
the world. The playwright started with the narrator who made use 
of proverbs and wise saying. He upholds the value of proverbs in 
Igbo Folklore.

War, they say, is an enemy of mankind. Yet men of all ages 
have lived and courted this enemy to their doom. And like 
the foretold death that forbids the doomed dog to perceive 
even the smell of excreta so have many men followed this 
pathway to their doom (11).

The barrage of proverbs reflects the Narrator's sophistication as 
well as points to the great tragedy that happened to Iduu Kingdom 
– each activity is imbued with danger and difficulty. This proverbs 
implies the ugly situation that occurred in the kingdom. The 
narrator opened the play with the word 'war' that suggests that 
there was war in the land before the main story started. And the 
effect of this war in the kingdom of Iduu, and how the king 
Odumegwu III perish in the cause of the war. The proverb 
expressed the lamentation of the narrator over the tragedy of war 
in Iduu kingdom.

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Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



proverbs, moral values, even in myth. A lay man denotatively can 
interpret this as a Mother hen will surely meets her husband 
tomorrow and also takes the kporo-kpoto as an animate object. 
Proverbs are connotatively interpreted. One must have critical 
thinking in order to understand proverb. It is common way to say 
“goodnight” in Igbo culture, but was said in proverbs.

 The use of proverb in Ikechiukwu Asika`s Omalinze 
showcase his aesthetic creativity in the literary works. Proverbs 
promotes the existence culture and its mode of expression.

 It also believed in Africa, that one who in the affairs of 
society. Asika`s use of proverbs also infuses the play with a 
uniquely Igbo perspective on a range subjects. Asika places many 
of these proverbs into the mouth of the narrator, who uses them to 
comment on the play. A powerful example occurs at the end of the 
play, when the narrator concludes.

Narrator: Indeed, there is no happiness when there is no wisdom. 
Wisdom is like a skin Bag and we all carry ours. He who has ear let 
him hear (78).

 This proverb expressed the bitterness of the narrator over 
the sad ending of the story. Yet this proverb is Ominous. 
Here the proverbial expression tells us about the sorrowful death
of Omalinze, Hamachi and Egodiniru. With Omalinze, Asika uses 
proverbs to hint the audience of the things going on in the society 
and cultural view of the society, with relation to the main 
characters of the play, 
King Kanayo. Through proverb, King Kanayo normally expresses 
this feeling about a particular situation in anger, in argumentative 
conversation with Omalinze, he said.

King Kanayo: When an Nza bird burns its legs and arms in fire, it 

as serpent “.  To be wise in the sense to have understanding of 
people and situation and to know what is best to do. Snakes only 
bite people in self- defense which their lives is threatened. 
Otherwise, they are gentle creatures minding their own business. 
In the same way, ourdefault approach to life should be gentleness, 
but when people wants to exploit or mistreat us, we muststand up 
for ourselves.  

 The elders uses proverbs are used among them, it is 
believed that they understand themselves than layMan in their 
midst. They fondly communicate in proverbs Asika capacity to 
recreate and project African worldview and socio- cultural values 
by means of English language. Whatever one does as dramatist is 
done in and through language. As a dramatist, Asika employ 
language to create a literary world, project characters and situation 
and situations, give credibility to the narrative and sustain the 
attention and readership to his audience. The success of his literary 
work is dependent on his capacity to creatively manipulate 
Language to achieve his purpose. In Omalinze, Asika adapt the 
English language as means of access to Igbo indigenous culture 
and aesthetics view. In his drama, the use of proverb by the elders 
contributes to linguistic competence of the characters and their 
overall level of proficiency in the art of conversation within the 
socio- cultural context. 

Chief Udeh: …Tomorrow, the mother hen will surely find a new 
husband tomorrow, I believe  kporo kpoto will display itself 
before the gaze  of cow (43).      
It can generally be agreed that proverbs are word of wisdom.  They 
are established in concise statement. They are also a product of 
cumulative knowledge and experience of the society. That is why 
proverbs are often with elderly members of the society.  For the 
Igbo, the concept of truth has continuous significance in their lives 
hence it has been characterized in various ways: in wise sayings, in 

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COOU JOFOCUS: COOU Journal of Folklore and Cultural Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2023
Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



typical case of Madness (69)
Anyone who toys with his god, toys with his destiny. As a 
dramatist, Asika uses this Igbo proverb to castigate and admonish 
and character of King Kanayo as a man who was headstrong to the 
gods. On the other hand, such an Igbo proverb depicts the values of 
Igbo society, values by which king Kanayo lives and dies. This is 
still pointing of the warning of the king to listen to the instructions 
of the gods to avoid their calamity.

 Also, in Igbo culture, proverbs are commonly used by 
elders on themselves especially in conversation and the elders use 
them on children as advising tool or to encourage them. It is 
forbidden that children use proverbs to elders. They consider a 
child using proverbs to elders as a rascal.
This was seen in the dialogue between Omalinze and the king, and 
the reaction of the elders.
Omalinze: After all, a person who kicks the toad only aids his 
journey (45).

Chief Agumba: (irritated) she uses proverbs for the king. How 
dare you use proverbs before the king?
Ah! Child, why not beg for your life. The drunken mother hen will 
soon meet with the mad willy cat.

King Kanayo: A child uses the same proverb as his father should 
be willing to pay the debt his father owes. When a maiden learn 
how to talk tough, she should also learn how to provide fish for the 
soup pot.

Chief Odilora: Ah!, when you warn the ear they will not listen. 
But when the head goes off, the ear follows it.

Omalinze used proverbs on the king, and there was reactions from 
the king's cabinets. Chief Agumba was irritated and furiously 

will foolishly think it 
                       Is producing oil…(45).
The mood of the character determines his use of proverbs. They 
are mythical and personified. Denotatively Nza bird is smallest 
bird among others. But hence it is used as a myth, trying to explain 
the impossibility of life. It is believed that ̀ `Nza bird`` cannot burn 
his legs and arms to produce oil, the “Nza bird” is personified as a 
child, who thinks by his growth and development, he can have 
enough strength to challenge his elders.
 In this play proverbs have an important impact on the 
storyline. All proverbs have some kind of deeper meaning behind 
them, and is part of Igbo culture .Proverbs are used by people of all 
ages and statures to tell others about importance of something. The 
Igbo tribe use proverbs everyday as they are an important is 
regarded very highly through the clan. Use of proverb makes 
difficult truth more understandable, for children and adult alike. 
 
Otagburuagu: You must wedge this water now that is still at feet  

level. You must remove Monkey`s hand from 
soup pot before it turns into human hand … (66).   

   … The forest that detests a basket should not 
grow mushrooms. 

My king this what your fate has taken away from you. Pride is 
what it has buried inside you. Lack of wisdom and pride, two 
sword of opposing edge; one edge must cut you no doubt and you 
will wish by heavens that you had listened…..(67)
Otagburuagu as a great seer, used proverbs to warn the king of 
great calamity that is about to fall on the people of Iduu Kingdom 
to his disobedience to the gods. In Igbo tradition, it is believe there 
is tendency to end calamity at the small level than to tight it at 
bigger level. This attributes to this proverb ̀ `you must wedge this 
water” warning proverbs that was understood by the elders there.
Another proverb of warning is the proverb used by chief Udeh… 
Our people say that when gbala gbala become excess it becomes a 

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Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



the younger generation of the value when proverbs are used in 
their conversation. And when they frequently use proverbs in their 
communication it will define their true identity and as well 
promote and uphold African tradition in the world view.

Works Cited
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Heinemann, 1958.
---.The Role of a Writer in a New Nation G.D. Killam (ed.) African 

Writers on African     Writing. Heinemann, 1973.
Akporobaro, F.B.O: Introduction to African Oral Literature. 

Princeton Publishing, 2012.
Asika, Ikechukwu: Omalinze (An Igbo Antigone). Noirledge 

Publishing, 2023.
Bascom, William R. “Verbal Art”. Delivered at the sixty-six 

Annual Meeting of the  American Folklore Society, 29 
December 1953.

Chuma- Udeh, Ngozi: Trends and Issues in Nigerian Literature 
(Prose). Base 5 press.    

            2007.
Copper, et al:  Timeless Voices and Themes Literature of Finnegan 

Ruth. Oral Literature in Africa. Ruthledge Press, 1992.
Egudu, Romanus. “Nature and Function of Igbo Anecdotes” in 

Onwuejeogwu, Angulu M and Manfredi, Victor B. (eds). 
Odinani. Tabansi Press Ltd: 1977.

Ezenwa-Ohaeto. Contemporary Nigerian Poetry and the Poetics 
of Orality: Bayreuth African  Studies Breitinger, 1998.

Finnegan, Ruth. Oral Literature in Africa. Oxford University 
Press, 1970.Nnolim, Charles:  Approaches to the African 
Novel: Essay in Analysis. Ihem Davis Press, 1992.

Nnolim, Charles Ekwusiaga. Issues in African Literature. 
Treasure Resources  Communication Limited, 2009.

Nwafor, John and Emma- Agbiri, Nneka:  Embellishing 
Language in Oral Tradition through the use of Proverbs in 
Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo's The Last of the Strongones, 

scolded Omalinze for such a disgusting attitude. The playwright 
here expressed through his character that it abomination in African 
culture for children to use proverbs on elders. The reaction of the 
elders and the king shows their detestable expression over 
Omalinze who rascally speaks to the king. In the response of the 
king, “a child uses the same proverbs as his father should be 
willing to pay his father owes” when a child considered himself as 
a grown man, it is believed that he bears the consequences of his 
action. The king furiously expressed his action on Omalinze's 
contempt in the midst of elders. 

 Moreover, an Igbo proverb also serves as a thematic 
statement to remind one of the major motifs in the plays; for 
example, the value of genuine achievement, where no evil done by 
man will go undetected and unpunished and the idea of man as the 
architect of his own destiny. Thus, on a general note, the Igbo 
proverbs employed by Asika in Omalinze plays a major role in 
setting the tone of the story appropriately, the embellishment of 
the plot of the story as well as development of characterization.

Conclusion 
 African proverbs are rich source of wisdom, cultural 
heritage and knowledge. They reflect the values and belief of 
African societies, and give guidance, inspiration and advice. The 
significance of African proverbs in African culture cannot be over 
emphasized and their use in educating and empowering the 
younger generation in African level. Asika's creativity of diction 
with use of proverbs on his characters, expressed the beauty of 
literary creativity in art. In the play, Asika's aesthetic view in 
African literature promotes African literature promotes African 
culture and educates the society. His audience are put in suspense 
over the use of proverbs in his play. This oral tradition defines our 
identity as Africans. The playwright through the play, will educate 

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COOU JOFOCUS: COOU Journal of Folklore and Cultural Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2023
Ezennadiri Chukwudi Samuel & Paschal-Mbakwe, Doris. O.: The Use of Proverbs as Essential 
Ingredients for Communication in Igbo Culture: A Critical Approach to Ikechukwu Asika's Omalinze



Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Journal of Folklore and 
Cultural Studies vol  2, no 1, 2022, PP. 106- 124.

Obiechina, Emmanuel. “Transition from Oral to Literary 
Tradition.” Presence Africaine 63, 1967. 141 – 161.

Okoh Nkem: Preface to Oral Literature. African First Publishers, 
2008.

Onuekwusi, Jasper: Fundamental of African Oral Literature. 
Alphabet Nigerian Publisher,  2001.

Templeton, Alice: Cultural Studies: Theory Praxis Pedagogy. Vol 
19, No 2.PP 19- 30John Hopkins University Press, 1992.

Udenta O. Udenta. Revolutionary Aesthetics & the African 
Literary Process. Fourth Dimension Publishing Co. Ltd, 
1993.

Umeasiegbu, Rems N. Ask the Storyteller: Tales from Northern 
Nigeria. Koruna Books Publishers, 2008.

---. The Palm Oil of Speech: Igbo Proverbs. Koruna Books, 2003.

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