Always Adapt to Survive

Interpretation

This is an Igbo proverb quoted in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Just like the bird, we need to adapt to changing circumstances in order to succeed.

In the book itself, a rich man, Nkwaikibie, uses the quote to explain why he is not generous with his yam seeds to the young men of the generation. According to him, he has learned to be stingy because young men have become lazier. It will be a waste of his seeds. He is only ready to give some to Okongwo, who is hardworking and will work hard to grow the yams.