Meaning

This proverb warns that those who hold authority or experience cannot afford to be disengaged when important matters are being decided. Falling asleep is a metaphor for inattention, complacency, or withdrawal from the shared responsibility of leadership. When the experienced voices go quiet, the room is left to fill the silence with choices that may later prove harmful.

Context

Yoruba oral tradition has long used proverbs as a practical tool for governing community life and passing down collective wisdom. Elders in Yoruba culture carry a specific social duty: they are expected to guide deliberation, not merely observe it. This saying would have been invoked as a gentle but firm reminder that authority is not a passive inheritance. It demands presence, alertness, and active participation, especially when decisions carry weight for the wider group.

About the author

The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa, with a rich and ancient tradition of oral literature that includes proverbs, poetry, and narrative. Yoruba proverbs, known locally as "owe," are considered a cornerstone of communication and are often cited in everyday speech, formal gatherings, and dispute resolution. They are regarded not as the words of a single author but as the distilled insight of generations, refined over time through communal use and shared experience.