Egbe bere, ugo bere; nke sị ibe ya ebela, nku kwaa ya. (Igbo) Mwewe aketi na tai aketi; yeyote atakayesema mwenzake asiketi, bawa lake livunjike.” (Swahili) Que le milan se perche et que l’aigle se perche; que celui qui dit à l’autre de ne pas se percher, que son aile se brise. (French) Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch; whoever says the other should not perch, let its wing break. (English)

Igbo (Nigeria) Proverb

Background, Meaning and Everyday Use

The proverb originates from the Igbo people, a major ethnic group primarily native to the dense, palm-belt region of southeastern Nigeria, whose population is estimated to be over 40 million people. Historically, the Igbo are unique because they avoided centralized kingdoms, choosing instead to live in highly independent, democratic village federations. Their historical trajectory shifted dramatically through the transatlantic slave trade and 20th-century British colonial rule, culminating in their survival of the devastating Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). Traditional Igbo culture values hard work, personal achievement and deep community cooperation with daily life historically centered on agrarian farming, bustling open-air market trade and community-led justice meetings.

In this cultural environment, the eagle (ugo) and the kite (egbe) are used as symbols for different groups of people. The eagle represents nobility, high achievement and leadership, while the kite represents the ordinary or less privileged citizen. Insisting that both birds have an equal right to sit on the same branch, Igbo philosophy teaches that the world has enough room and resources for everyone, regardless of social status. The warning that the selfish bird’s wing should break represents natural justice, showing that those who try to destroy others will bring ruin upon themselves.

In daily life, the Igbo people invoke this proverb to protect fair trade in crowded village markets, preventing wealthy wholesalers from running smaller retail vendors out of business. Elders routinely use the phrase to resolve land boundary disputes between neighboring families, reminding them that the earth is vast enough to sustain every household. Furthermore, it is a fixture during traditional weddings, burials, and title-taking rituals to bless the assembly and bind the community to a code of mutual respect.

Biblical Parallels

• Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

• Galatians 5:15: “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

Proverbs 24:17-18: “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from

Contemporary Use And Religious Application

In modern society, this Igbo Proverb provides a strong ethical framework to challenge extreme selfishness, greedy business practices and social division. When applied to Christian theology, the proverb offers profound lessons on church unity, sharing resources and social justice. The modern church is called to dismantle institutional gatekeeping and exclusion, recognizing that both the “eagle” and the “kite” have a God-given right to exist and serve in the Kingdom of God. This means that wealthy, influential, or spiritually mature believers must reject the desire to dominate others. They must ensure that they do not suppress the growth, ministries or financial survival of marginalized people. Furthermore, the proverb demands a shift from bitter competition to healthy collaboration, recognizing that spiritual gifts and material blessings are intentionally distributed by God to make us depend on one another.

Christians are urgently encouraged to learn from this indigenous wisdom and apply it directly to their spiritual disciplines. Believers must realize that any success built upon the deliberate downfall, sabotage, or exclusion of a neighbor is a sin against God that leads to spiritual stagnation and divine correction.

The Christian churches must actively repent of gatekeeping attitudes, corporate greed, and ministry rivalries that try to push others off the branch of opportunity. True Christian living must show in the creation of welcoming, fair communities where both the powerful and the weak can safely live together, share what they have, and fulfill their God-given purposes without fear of malice.

Text and photos by:

Elias Bushiri Élie
Nairobi, Kenya
+254 7414 97556 (WhatsApp)
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