By The African Digest
“Anoma antu a, obua da”
Origin: Ghana; Akan (Twi)
Literal Interpretation: If a bird does not fly, it goes to bed hungry.
Meaning
A bird must leave its nest and use its wings to search for food. If it stays put, it finds nothing.
The Ghanaian, Akan proverb “Anoma antu a, obua da” translates literally to “if a bird does not fly, it sleeps hungry” (or the idle bird goes to bed hungry). It means that success, survival, and progress require active effort, movement, and diligence; sitting idle yields no results.
Some other ramifications of this African proverb include:
- Show up daily and put in the effort. Your job or business will not grow without active input.
- Take the first steps on your plans. Reading, learning, and trying new things require physical and mental movement.
- Do not let fear freeze you in place. Like a bird taking a leap into the air, you must risk movement to gain rewards and overcome fear.
- Waiting for rescue rarely works. Take charge of your circumstances and create your own solutions.
Summarily, “Anoma antu a, obua da” means you must take action if you want to make a living. It could also be understood as “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” for the bird takes a risk by flying, yet, it needs to do that before it can have any hope of getting food to eat.
Stay tuned for more African Proverbs from around Africa and their meanings and practical applications to our everyday living.
