Yorùbá: Èèpà ń pa’ra ẹ, o ni oun ń pa ajá; bi ajá bá ku tán, èèpà a
r’ọrun.

English: Colics is kiIling itself, but says it is killing dog, when dog
dies colic will also go to heaven.

Usage: This proverb is used to explain the fact that you don’t
work against the organization that provides your source of
your livelihood, otherwise you destroy yourself. In other
words, you don’t bite the finger that is feeding you.

In an organization it is common to find acts of indiscipline or other vices that are inconsistent with corporate goals. These are usually symptoms of lack of employee wellness, and poor leadership. This will have spill-over effect on the fortune of the company.

As part of warning to desist from such nefarious activities, the phrase is then inserted, ‘Colics is killing itself, but says it is killing dog, when dog dies colic will also go to heaven’. This implies that we are all in it together, everybody will share the success or failure of the company. It is meant to encourage teamspirit, commitment, and loyalt to the organisation. The proverb also serves as a subtle reminder to the leadership to review the organisational policy to enhance employee wellness.