African Wisdom on Death

From Ancient Proverbs to Modern Realities - Understanding Life's Greatest Transition

Did You Know?

Across Africa, death is rarely seen as an end, but rather as a transition to the ancestral world. This perspective shapes everything from burial rituals to inheritance systems, creating unique cultural approaches to life's final journey.

The Wisdom of Igbo Proverbs

Igbo philosophy offers profound insights into death through simple yet powerful proverbs. These sayings have guided generations in understanding mortality, grief, and the continuity of life.

Where there is a dead body, both criers and laughers are found ~Igbo Proverb

Timeless Igbo Wisdom

"Death does not recognize the chief."

Mortality is the great equalizer - no status protects anyone from death's reach.

"The corpse does not know that it is being mourned."

Funeral rituals serve the living, not the dead - they help process grief and celebrate life.

"Rain does not fall on one roof alone."

Death touches everyone eventually - we all share this human experience.

"He who will go tomorrow finds tomorrow has already gone."

Death often comes unexpectedly - live fully in the present moment.

Did You Know?

In many African cultures, including the Igbo, elaborate funeral ceremonies aren't just about mourning - they're celebrations of life and ensure the deceased transitions properly to the ancestral world. The community's participation is crucial for this spiritual journey.

Beyond Proverbs: Cultural Realities

While proverbs offer philosophical wisdom, actual death practices reveal complex social structures and challenges, particularly for women.

Serer Widows: Explore how traditional inheritance systems can leave women vulnerable after their husbands' deaths Ancient Egyptian Women: Discover the significant roles women played in death rituals and ancestor worship African Burial Traditions: Learn about diverse death and burial practices across the continent

"Everyone will undergo the sentence of the grave. The debt that a strong man owes to the earth is death."

More Igbo Wisdom on Mortality

He who will go tomorrow finds tomorrow has already gone

"Things that are sweet are killers."

Pleasure and danger often coexist - what brings joy can also bring destruction.

"One who constantly disagrees will agree on the death mat."

In death, all arguments and conflicts ultimately resolve.

"Even the best cooking pot cannot produce food."

Without life, even the most capable person cannot achieve anything.

"A poor person thinks about money more than death."

Daily survival needs can overshadow philosophical concerns about mortality.

🌿 Did You Know?

Many African death traditions emphasize community over individuality. The entire village or neighborhood participates in funeral rites, sharing both the emotional burden and practical responsibilities. This collective approach to mourning reflects the African philosophy of Ubuntu - "I am because we are."

Connecting Ancient Wisdom to Modern Life

These African perspectives on death offer valuable insights for contemporary society:

• Community Support: The collective approach to mourning provides crucial emotional support that modern individualistic societies often lack
• Practical Philosophy: Proverbs turn abstract concepts about mortality into actionable life guidance
• Continuity Over Finality: Viewing death as transition rather than end can transform how we approach grief
• Intergenerational Wisdom: These traditions preserve knowledge across generations, maintaining cultural identity

© 2024 The African Gourmet | Exploring Cultural Heritage Through Generations

Sources: The African Gourmet, Igbo oral traditions, cultural anthropology research

Continue exploring at The African Gourmet

Adinkra symbols Kintinkantan meaning arrogance, FoFoo meaning jealousy and Tamfo Bebre meaning envy are three West African symbols to avoid using.

Three West African Symbols to Avoid

Tamfo Bebre pronounced Tah-M-Foh Beh-Breh 

Secret meaning is envy or the enemy shall suffer.  Envy is deeply rooted in human behavior as well as one of the seven original deadly sins.  Envy leads to feeling resentful of people who have what you want. If you do not confront and sort through the true reason for your envy, you cannot focus on your blessings. You will continue to hate someone for his or her good fortune. If you are not careful, the enemy suffering could be you.

Fofoo pronunced Foh-Fuh 

Secret meaning is jealousy. Mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear is defined as jealousy. Longing to have what someone else has with misplaced hatred only leads to a life of self-inflicted suffering.

Kintinkantan pronounced Ken-tin-ka-tan 

Secret meaning is arrogance. The wicked type of arrogance, the misplaced self-importance wrapped around an overbearing pride is the meaning of the Adinkra symbol Kintinkantan. Wicked arrogance is bitter and clouds good judgment.

African proverbs are the spoken languages of Africa and African Adinkra symbols are visual symbols that represent the joining of spoken and pictorial language.

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Savor Nigerian toasted pumpkin seeds for a crunchy, nutritious snack.

Indulge in the delight of Mkpuru Ugu, Nigerian toasted pumpkin seeds, as a convenient grab-and-go snack, or sprinkle them over salads and soups for that perfect crunch. These delectable toasted pumpkin seeds will satisfy your cravings and offer a nutritious boost to your day.

In Nigerian cuisine, pumpkin seeds are often used as a key ingredient in preparing Egusi soup, a traditional and beloved dish. The seeds are ground into a powder and combined with other ingredients such as vegetables, meats, and spices to create a rich and flavorful soup that is enjoyed across the country. 

Apart from being used in soups, pumpkin seeds are also roasted and enjoyed as a standalone snack in Nigeria. They are commonly seasoned with spices like salt, pepper, or other local seasonings to enhance their flavor. 

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a popular street food snack. They are often sold in markets or by vendors in small packages, providing a convenient and satisfying snack option for locals and visitors alike. Toasted pumpkin seeds contain nutrients like fiber, protein, and healthy fats. 

They are a fantastic source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and antioxidants, supporting overall health and boosting your immune system. Plus, they're incredibly versatile! You can experiment with different flavors by adding spices like cinnamon, cayenne pepper, or garlic powder to suit your taste preferences.

Enjoy Mkpuru Ugu Nigerian Toasted Pumpkin Seeds as a quick grab-and-go snack or sprinkle them over salads and soups for added crunch; toasted pumpkin seeds will satisfy your cravings and provide a nutritious boost.

Whether exploring Nigerian cuisine or simply enjoying a nutritious and flavorful snack, pumpkin seeds are a fantastic choice. Give them a try and experience this popular ingredient's delightful taste and cultural significance in Nigeria.

Mkpuru Ugu Nigerian Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Snack

Ingredients and Directions for Mkpuru Ugu Nigerian Toasted Pumpkin Seed Snack.

Mkpuru Ugu Nigerian toasted pumpkin seeds snack recipe is an easy-to-make African recipe to make. 

Prep time: 5 min 

Cook time: 10 min 

Total time: 15 min 

Ingredients 

1 cup unshelled pumpkin seeds 

1 tablespoon palm oil or vegetable oil 

1 teaspoon salt 

Directions 

Boil pumpkin seeds for 8-10 minutes in salted water. Add oil to the heated frying pan, drain seeds, and lightly toast. Serve as a snack.

Nigerian cooking utilizes the entire pumpkin plant in creating recipes. Pumpkin leaves, seeds, and the pumpkin itself make for delicious eating.

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Cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables in South Africa grown mostly in KwaZulu-Natal inland regions. The capital of KwaZulu-Natal is Pietermaritzburg and is known as the garden providence. The cabbage plant grown throughout the world was thought of as a gift from God. Healthy kabichi cabbage salad recipe is super easy to make using only three ingredients.

Healthy Kabichi Cabbage Salad Recipe

Healthy African Kabichi Cabbage Salad Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 medium tomato diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Add all ingredients into a large bowl, mix well refrigerate 2 hours and serve as a side dish for grilled meats or a healthy salad for lunch or dinner.

Cabbage was used for therapeutic purposes to treat arthritis, stomach problems, ear nose and throat issues, and headaches.

More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare a boring meal again.

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African Proverbs
on Being Wise, Humble and Sensible

These are not decorations.
They are the distilled wisdom of centuries — spoken by elders, carried across generations, proven by life.

“You become wise when you begin to run out of money.”
— Ghanaian Proverb

Leading a race does not mean that you will win it. — Bemba Proverb (Zambia)

Optimism leads to riches and pessimism leads to poverty. — Kenyan Proverb

It is survival, not bravery, that makes a man climb a thorny tree. — Ugandan Proverb

One cannot see oneself; a stone cannot push itself. — Boran Proverb (Kenya/Ethiopia)

If you are filled with pride, then you will have no room for wisdom. — Nigerian Proverb

A climbing plant with tendrils cannot grow on its own without the support of a tree. — Oromia Proverb (Ethiopia)

Even the lion will eat grass if he is starving. — Ndebele Proverb (Zimbabwe/South Africa)

One should either become a pillar or lean against one. — Kenyan Proverb

More African Proverbs →

© 2025 The African Gourmet – Originally published 2015
Published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

3,500 Years of Tradition: Grain Processing by Hand in Africa

Pounding grain remains a communal rhythm of daily life in many African villages.

Across Africa, the basic act of turning harvested grain into food has stayed remarkably constant for millennia. Long before tractors, threshers, or electric mills, farmers used simple hand tools—and in many rural communities, they still do today. Mortars and pestles echo through villages as grain is prepared for cooking, linking modern households to techniques more than 3,500 years old.

What Are Threshing, Winnowing, and Milling?

Threshing. Beating the stalks and husks of cereal crops to loosen the edible seeds from the straw.

Winnowing. Tossing the grain into the air or using a breeze to let lighter chaff blow away, leaving clean grain behind.

Pounding or Milling. Crushing or grinding grain to break it into usable pieces or flour. The goal is usually coarse meal, not the ultra-fine flour common in industrial milling. This work requires strength, rhythm, and skill. It is often done communally, with hours spent each day to prepare food staples such as sorghum, millet, yam flour, and teff meal. For a deeper look at Africa’s heritage grains, see ancient African grains like sorghum, millet, and teff.

Although modern mills are increasingly found in towns and cities—saving time and labor—many households cannot afford store-bought flour. Traditional hand-grinding continues to be an essential part of life, especially where cash income is limited. Mortar-and-pestle methods survive not because of nostalgia but because they remain practical and affordable.

Modern Milling and Agriculture in Transition

Large companies such as Bakhresa Grain Milling (based in Tanzania and operating across East Africa) now supply much of the region’s commercial wheat flour. Yet smallholder farmers and rural families still produce, thresh, winnow, and mill their grain using age-old tools. This persistence reflects wider challenges in African agriculture: low access to fertilizers, improved seeds, credit, and mechanized equipment. Learn more about the challenges of modern farming in Africa.

According to the World Bank, “modern farming” involves using inorganic fertilizers, agro-chemicals, irrigation, improved seeds, tractors, and credit to purchase modern equipment. Many small African farmers cannot afford these inputs, contributing to lower yields and ongoing food insecurity. While cities grow quickly, rural populations will remain large, and small farms will continue to feed millions.

Women play a central role. They make up about 43% of the agricultural labor force in developing countries and are critical to household food security. Yet they have less access to land, credit, and training than men, while working longer total hours when unpaid domestic work is included. Explore how African women farmers power food security.

Climate and Food Security Challenges

Climate change threatens yields through droughts and erratic weather, while global food demand keeps rising. Agriculture both suffers from and contributes to climate change, generating up to 29% of greenhouse gas emissions. Climate-smart agriculture—practices such as crop diversification, small-scale irrigation, and agroforestry—is being promoted across Africa to increase resilience and reduce emissions. Read more on climate-smart agriculture in Africa.

Despite these efforts, many farmers still rely on ancient, hand-powered grain processing. This continuity shows resilience but also highlights the need for investment in rural infrastructure, technology, and markets to fight hunger and poverty. Learn about Africa’s struggle with food security and hunger.

Did You Know? Mortar-and-pestle grain pounding is one of Africa’s oldest farming traditions and is still practiced in many rural homes today. Discover more about Africa’s heritage grains and their cultural importance.

African ancestors have a wealth of proverbs on the bolstering overconfident fool. In the world today, there is no shortage of confident people who believe in faking their way to success.

Most people would rather swallow a self-confidence pill to increase their knowledge and ingenuity since embracing inner insecurities and self-doubts is seen as a sign of weakness.

African proverbs on the confident fool

People have more confidence than they need but are not as great as they think. Many see confidence as the key component of success and think that increasing confidence is the only solution to relationship and career problems. 

Fake it till you make it, life is all about perception acting as if but, if people never allow themselves to feel vulnerable and insecure it becomes impossible to build self-confidence. What remains in the world are people playacting at life instead of actuality living life.

African proverbs on the confident fool

Fools are easily deceived.

Hurry Hurry has no blessing.

Stolen things never really make one rich.

If one does too much whispering, a deaf person hears him.

A fool and water will go the way they are diverted.

A fool runs when nothing is running after him.

Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet.

A fool’s words taste sweet in his mouth.

Knowledge is like a garden, if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.

Distant water does not extinguish the fire.

Discover a new twist on ordinary peanut stew, add goat!  Make and share this easy one pot West African goat peanut butter stew recipe with family and friends tonight.

West African Goat Peanut Stew Recipe

    West African Goat Peanut Stew Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound goat meat cut into small cubes

2 medium yellow sliced onion

2 medium chopped green pepper

2 large potatoes diced

2 medium carrots diced

1 cup smooth peanut butter

5 cups vegetable broth

One big pinch of salt or to taste

2 whole cloves

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

2 hot peppers sliced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vinegar

Directions

Sauté goat and olive oil until goat is browned, add onions and green peppers and heat for 3 minutes. Add broth to peanut butter in a separate cup and stir well. Add all ingredients to goat mixture cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Serve over rice.

Did you know?

Goats are very competitive with each other having a distinct pecking order. Goats also called chevron are a popular street food in all the regions across the African nation of Ghana. Among livestock, goats rank second only to cattle in terms of their contribution to the income and nutrition of Ghana citizens. Throughout Ghana, goats are a vital part in the formal and informal food production systems. Goats are browsers feed on a wide range of tree leaves and plant roots.

Goats are very competitive with each other having a distinct pecking order.

Nigerian Igbo proverb, when husband and wife are in harmony, one piece of yam is enough for their food, teaches us that by watering the seeds of kindness and cooperation, you can plant togetherness which will bring peace to your heart and home. 

I wish you everlasting peace, love, and harmony in your marriage.

When husband and wife are in harmony, one piece of yam is enough for their food. - Nigerian Igbo proverb.

The proverb serves as a reminder to prioritize harmony and unity in our partnerships and to appreciate the power of working together towards common goals. It encourages us to build strong, supportive relationships that can withstand challenges and nourish us emotionally and practically, allowing us to find contentment and fulfillment in even the simplest aspects of life. 

The essence of the proverb lies in the idea that when a husband and wife work together harmoniously, their combined efforts and mutual support create a sense of abundance and contentment, even with limited resources. It emphasizes the power of unity and the ability to thrive with less when there is harmony and understanding in the relationship.

When a husband and wife are in sync, they can effectively manage their resources, make joint decisions, and support one another in times of scarcity or difficulty. The proverb suggests that their relationship's strength and ability to work together can transcend material possessions or external circumstances.

African Harmony Proverbs.

In a happy marriage, the husband and wife dance to the same rhythm.

Proverbs make a husband wise. 

In a strong marriage, the husband and wife are like two wings of a bird; they cannot fly without each other.

A strong marriage is a rock that can withstand the strongest winds.

He who does not listen to the proverb remains begging for help. 

When husband and wife respect each other, their children grow up with wings.

A happy marriage is a shelter from life's storms.

A husband and wife should be like two threads in a tapestry; they create a beautiful pattern when woven together.

In a harmonious marriage, the husband and wife complement each other like the moon and the stars.

Husband and wife collaborate harmoniously.

When a husband and wife work in unison, they possess the ability to effectively handle their resources, reach joint resolutions, and offer each other support in difficult times or times of scarcity. This adage suggests that the strength of their bond and their ability to collaborate can surpass any material possessions or external situations.

The underlying message is one of cooperation, shared responsibility, and mutual respect. When a couple is united, they can overcome challenges, find contentment in what they have, and create a fulfilling life together. It reminds us that true abundance is not solely measured by material wealth but also by the quality of our relationships and the harmony we cultivate within them.

This proverb serves as a valuable reminder to place harmony and unity at the forefront of our relationships, emphasizing the significance of collaborative efforts in pursuing shared objectives. It prompts us to cultivate resilient and nurturing connections that endure hardships and provide us with both emotional and practical sustenance. Through prioritizing such bonds, we unlock the potential for contentment and fulfillment in the ordinary facets of life, discovering profound satisfaction in the synergy of collective endeavors.

The question of when life begins seems to be a basic answer but, it is one of the most interesting and meaningful questions we can possibly ask. The African folklore story of crocodiles fortune and when does life begins is still debated by beasts and birds to this day.

When Does Life begin African Folklore

Questions about the very beginnings of life African Folklore story

Crocodile was very old. Finally he died. News of his death spread among the Beasts; and his relatives and friends came to mourn. After a proper number of days had passed, the matter of the division of the property was mentioned. At once a quarrel developed, on the question as to who were his nearest relatives.

The tribe of Birds said, "He is ours and we will be the ones to divide the property." Their claim was disputed, others asking, "On what ground do you claim relationship? You wear feathers; you do not wear plates of armor as he.

"The Birds replied, "True, he did not wear our feathers. But, you are not to judge by what he put on during his life. Judge by what he was in his life's beginning. In his beginning, he began with us as an egg. His mother bore him as an egg. He is our relative, and we are his heirs."

But the Beasts said, "Not so! We are his relatives, and by us shall his property be divided. "Then the Council of Animals demanded of the Beasts on what ground they based their claim for relationship, and what answer they could make to the argument of the birds as to Crocodile's egg-origin.

The Beasts said, "It may be true that the mark of tribe must be found, in a beginning, but not in an egg. For, all Beings began as eggs. Life is the original beginning! When life really begins in the egg, then the mark of tribe is shown. When Crocodiles life began, he had four legs as we have. We judge by legs. Therefore, we claim him as our relative. And we will take his property."

But, the Birds answered, "You Beasts said we were not relatives because we wear feathers, and not Crocodile plates of armor. But, you, look you! Judge by your own words. Neither do you wear Crocodile plates of armor, you with your hair and fur! Your words are not correct.

The beginning of his life was not, as you say, when little crocodile sprouted legs. There was life in the egg before that and his egg was like ours. You are not his relatives. He is ours!" However, the Beasts disputed still. Therefore, the quarrel went back and forth and they never settled it.

More short folklore stories from Africa to make you fall in love with myths and legends again from the motherland.

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Ashanti proverbs express the timeless wisdom of the Ashanti people. Wise sayings in the speech of proverbs have been passed down for generations in Ashanti culture.

There is no medicine to cure hatred is the Chic African Culture's favorite proverb. Anger leads to hate which leads to misery, which leads to hate which leads to anger; it is a never-ending cycle of negativity. Only when you insert love into the cycle it will become clear that love is stronger than hate. Hate destroys but love builds.

More African proverb quotes and wise sayings about hate

 

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. - Martin Luther King Jr.

 

I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain. - James Baldwin

 

I do not have time to hate people who hate me because I am too busy loving people who love me. - Unknown

 

I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him. - Booker T. Washington

 

Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat. - Henry Emerson Fosdick

 

A Rattlesnake, if Cornered will become so angry it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against others is — a biting of oneself. We think we are harming others in holding these spites and hates, but the deeper harm is to ourselves. - E. Stanley Jones

 

Hate must make a man productive. Otherwise, one might as well love. - Karl Kraus

 

All men kill the thing they hate, too, unless, of course, it kills them first. - James Thurber

 

Hatred is one long wait. - René Maran

Be a happy fat wife in Mauritania, Africa, where fat women are preferred.

Fat wives with stretch marks, rolls of fat and broad backsides are considered extremely beautiful in areas of Africa’s desert country of Mauritania. In Mauritania, a fat wife makes for a happy life.

Fat Wife Makes A Happy Marriage Life in the African Desert Country of Mauritania

In Mauritania, overeating is not a sign of addiction but rather a tradition. Beauty, as always, is in the eye of the beholder.

Overweight and Happily Married

In Mauritania, the eleventh-largest country in Africa, a unique view on body image shapes how people think about beauty and desirability. 

The majority of the population is made up of white Moor Arabs, and in this culture, fuller-figured women are celebrated. They are often seen as symbols of wealth and prestige. Many believe that a woman's size is linked to her husband's happiness, suggesting that a larger woman brings more joy to her marriage.

As a result, being thin is often looked down upon, as it is sometimes connected to poverty or poor health, which can lead to a lack of respect from potential partners. 

Therefore, a woman's weight has a significant impact on her social standing and her chances of getting married, with the society valuing curvy figures as a standard of beauty.

Mauritania Traditional Practice of Leblouh

Not a single fast-food franchise exists in Mauritania however; around 20 percent of the women are obese, according to the World Health Organization.  Although the practice is becoming outdated, force-feeding remains a serious threat to girls and women's health in rural areas of Mauritania.

However, the view that a fat girl is more desirable for marriage is seen as old-fashioned in certain regions of the country. What is shaping the perception of beauty? Social media is changing Mauritania traditional standards of beauty in the younger generation.

A study by the Mauritanian ministry of health in 2007 found that force-feeding is dying out. Now only 10 percent of young girls under the age of 19 are force-fed, 32 percent of women and 29 percent of men in Mauritania approved of the traditional practice of gavage or more commonly Leblouh, ie the feeding of aish.

Aish Body Thickener

In Mauritania, there is a cultural practice related to beauty standards called gavage, which means "forced feeding." In this culture, being heavier is often associated with beauty and fertility.

The process begins with women drinking a special mixture made from rich, high-fat camel's milk combined with a local plant called Aish. This mixture is whipped until it becomes creamy and thick. To meet beauty ideals, women may consume a significant amount of this mixture—often around 12 to 14 gallons a day—to gain the weight they desire.

Today, some women also use weight gain supplements for faster results, but the core of this practice is still ingrained in tradition. Overeating is seen not as a problem but as an important part of their cultural identity. This practice highlights a unique view of beauty in Mauritania, where gaining weight is celebrated as an essential aspect of being feminine.

10 Happy Fat Wife Sayings

• Laugh and be fat.

• Laughter fattens the heart, and a full heart sows peace.

• A fat hen lays few eggs.

• A fat yam does not cook well.

• The fat tick weakens the cow; greed starves the hand that feeds.

• Tradition is like fire; it needs both feeding and watching.

• The richest soil attracts the most weeds, but also the most bountiful harvest. 

• A thin slice of bread shared is better than a feast fought over.

• Where there is much food, there are many guests.

• A heavy goat gives little milk.

Ten More Happy Fat Wife Quotes

• The fatter the flea, the leaner the dog. 

• An empty bowl makes no feast; a hungry mind achieves no wisdom.

• The bigger the cow, the richer the herdsman.

• A wife’s plumpness reflects a household’s wealth.

• The fuller the calabash, the sweeter the feast.

• A wide shadow from a tree shows the strength of its roots.

• Plenty in the home begins with plenty in the heart.

• A plump wife is the drumbeat of her husband’s success.

• A full granary speaks of a good harvest.

• To cherish a wife is to feed her soul and body; her fullness is the laughter of the household.

Mauritania Weight Gain Drink Aish

In Mauritania, one of the popular high-calorie drinks is Aish, a traditional beverage made from rich creamy camel milk. 

Aish Recipe for the Mauritania Fluffies

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh whole milk 

½ cup of condensed milk 

2-3 tablespoons of sugar 

A pinch of salt 

Directions

In a large bowl or jug, mix the milk and water (if using). Add the sugar and stir vigorously until fully dissolved. For a frothy texture, whisk the mixture briskly with a whisk or use a blender for 1-2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if desired, enhancing the sweetness. Serve immediately in small cups or bowls.

Tips:

Did you know?

Ethnic groups in the African Desert Country of Mauritania are Black Moors 40 percent, White Moors 30 percent, Mauritanians non-Arabic speaking, Halpulaar, Soninke, Wolof, and Bamara ethnic groups 30 percent.

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Africa's Hidden Hand: How Coffee, Cocoa, and Cotton Power the Global Markets

From African farms to global financial markets: The journey of a soft commodity.

When you think of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), you might picture skyscrapers and tech stocks. But the pulse of global trade is also measured in the coffee, cocoa, and cotton grown on African soil. These essential "soft commodities" are a vital, though often unseen, force within the world's largest financial marketplace.

The NYSE's African Connection: Soft Commodities

The link is the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the NYSE. Through its ICE Futures U.S. exchange, it is the global center for trading soft commodity futures.

• What are Soft Commodities? They are agricultural products that are grown, not mined—like coffee, cocoa, cotton, and sugar.
• What are Futures? These are contracts that allow buyers and sellers to lock in a price for a crop today for delivery in the future. This helps farmers manage risk and ensures global buyers a stable supply.

Africa's role is indispensable. The continent is a top global producer of the "Three C's": African commodity exports.

• Cocoa: Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana alone produce over 60% of the world's supply.
• Coffee: Ethiopia and Uganda are key origins for high-quality beans.
• Cotton: A major export for countries like Burkina Faso and Mali.

The price fluctuations of these crops, influenced by African harvests and politics, directly impact the futures traded in New York and Atlanta.

Global Players in African Growth

China: A Major Development Partner

China has become the largest developing-world investor in Africa. Starting in the 1980s, this relationship has funneled billions into infrastructure and resource development, with major projects in South Africa, Angola, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. While often packaged with development aid, this investment is fundamentally reshaping trade, which now grows faster with China than with the EU or United States. China’s growing influence in Africa.

Other Emerging Economies

China is not alone. Other major economies like Brazil, India, Turkey, and the Republic of Korea are also deepening their trade and investment ties across the continent.

Africa's Own Financial Hubs

While its commodities are traded globally, Africa has a vibrant and growing financial ecosystem of its own. The continent is home to over two dozen stock exchanges, including major markets like: Africa’s financial markets explained.

• Johannesburg Stock Exchange (South Africa)
• Nigeria Stock Exchange
• Nairobi Securities Exchange (Kenya)
• Egyptian Exchange (Cairo and Alexandria)
• Casablanca Stock Exchange (Morocco)

These exchanges are crucial for channeling investment into African businesses and fueling local economic growth.

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Did You Know?

According to UN data, Africa's top soft commodity exports by value are cocoa beans, unroasted coffee, and cotton lint, followed by natural rubber, tobacco, and tea. Africa’s top agricultural exports by value.

Explore more cocoa stories in the Chocolate Hub .

African farmers and climate is very important to Sierra Leone for farming and weather impact because subsistence agriculture is the dominant sector in the Sierra Leone economy.

With a population of nearly 6.5 million people the weather of Sierra Leone from December to February is dry but rainfall along the coast is around 200 inches a year, making it one of the wettest places in Africa.

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Traditional shifting cultivation is by far the predominant system of farming in the African country of Sierra Leone. Most farmers produce a wide range of crops under rainfed conditions including rice, the main crop, cassava, sweet potato, maize, sorghum, yams, groundnut, benniseed (sesame) millet, okra, garden eggs (small eggplants), pepper and a multitude of leafy vegetables.
The sesame plant prefers humid areas, so it is mostly grown in the wetter northern provinces, intercropped with rice.

The small white seeds, the only edible part of the plant, are traditionally prepared in two ways: toasted and ground into a powder, which is mixed with rice flour and water to obtain benni mix, a nutritious children’s food; or boiled for a long time and left to ferment in closed jute sacks to obtain a powder which is wrapped in banana leaves and smoked.

The resulting product, ogirie, is one of the most common seasonings in Sierra Leone, used to flavor soups and other dishes. It must be used with caution, as the pungent smell can become offensive if used in large quantities. It should also be cooked for at least 10-15 minutes to minimize its strong odor.

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Agriculture is the dominant sector in the Sierra Leone economy accounting for nearly 48 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing 65 percent of the population. It accounts for nearly 10 percent of recorded export earnings. Sierra Leone is extremely poor and nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. The country possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, but it is still recovering from a civil war that destroyed most institutions before ending in the early 2000s.

Sierra Leone has a hot tropical climate with two pronounced seasons: a rainy season from May to November, and a dry season from December to April. The rainy season has weather patterns occurring in the following order: thunderstorms and squalls for some months, steady rains then thunderstorms and squalls again.

The thunderstorms and squalls occur at the beginning and end of the rainy season with high intensity and frequency in May-June and October-November. Steady rains occur in the middle of the rainy season from July to September. Rainfall is frequent and often heavy and about 80 to 85 percent of the annual rainfall occurs during this period.

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Only about 5 percent of the land area is now covered by closed forest. Like many parts of Africa Sierra Leone, high forests are now found on steep and often inaccessible ranges of hills such as the Kambui, Nimini, Dodo, Kangari and Tama-Tonkoli hills. Other places with existing high forests include Forest reserves, chiefdom protected forests and village sacred bushes. Their principal uses for logging timber and for farming have contributed to the drastic reduction in the area under high forest in Sierra Leone. Two types of high forest exist: the tropical rain forest and the moist semi-deciduous forest.

One of the most serious negative impacts of deforestation on the natural vegetation is the loss of species, some of which may be unknown to science in terms of economic potential and usefulness to humankind. Genetic erosion of wild indigenous plant species through deforestation deprives any country of the sustainable management of its natural biological resources. These resources form the basis for sectoral development of human activities in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, medicines for maintaining good health, and in environmental management.

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Nearly every culture in the world has a creation story that explains life on earth came to be here. These creation stories have a massive influence on African storytelling literature. Yoruba Ori destiny creation narrative, you cannot outrun your destiny explains creation from the African Yoruba point of view.

To the Yoruba people, Ori is an Orisha supernatural concept. Ori refers to a person’s spiritual intuition and destiny, the deep within a spark of human consciousness rooted in the human spirit.

Yoruba destiny creation story of how choosing the right Ori will establish what life you will inhabit Earth.

Ori and Human Destiny

The God Oggun who never sleeps as long as the world is turning molded the human skeleton and the God Obatala molded the head of humans out of clay. 

Olodumare, the supreme God of the universe, blew the breath of life into the completed human body. 

The destiny or Ori chosen determines your final destiny. You are said to be free to choose any Ori from Ajala, the God who supplies the inner head within the clay head of humans. The chosen Ori irreversibly determines the life course and personality of the chooser on earth. 

The success or failure of a person’s life depends on the choice of Ori. However, once born you are unaware of the Ori chosen. If a person is smart, famous or rich, it is said they chose the right destiny or Ori for themselves.  

When you talk to your unborn child, tell him or her to choose an Ori wisely.

You cannot outrun your destiny Yoruba creation myth

Links to learn more about Yoruba and Africa 

• Legend of Deepest Darkest Africa
• Ile-Ife Ancient Yoruba City Southwestern Nigeria
• Greatest Yorubaland African Sculptor
The success or failure of a person’s life depends on the choice of Ori. Facts about destiny and Ori.

More short folklore stories from Africa to make you fall in love with myths and legends again from the motherland.

1. Why the bunny rabbit has wiggly slits for a nose
2. Love Takes No Less Than Everything Marriage Folklore
3. Hunters Attack Cowards Tell the Story
4. One Do Wrong All Get Punished
5. Mighty Little Hedgehog