← All proverbs
“It takes a village to raise a child.”
Igbo and Yoruba tradition, Nigeria
What it means
This proverb reflects a widely held West African value: that raising a child is a shared responsibility of the whole community, not just the parents. Neighbors, elders, and extended family all carry a role in a child's upbringing, discipline, and education.
This proverb is rooted in Nigeria, part of West Africa.
See heroes from Nigeria →