What is your favorite African proverb?

This question was asked on Quora. This is my answer about my favorite african proverb.

Fifteen years ago, when I was in primary school, our teacher used to request services from us. We regularly went to work in their farm, bring them firewood, and any other things he requested, we always bring it. When we failed during a class test, he hit us with a stick.

I used to support this situation until the day we’re about to leave that school for junior secondary school. On that very day, the teacher came again with a request of bringing him some straw to repair his kitchen. I personnaly decided to refuse. And I went to my mother to complain about this. I was hoping that my mother will support me at least on that day. But unfortunately, she said :

Night lasts long, but day finally comes.

She told me then to go, because it’s the last day he will ask such a service from us. She was so right that I can never forget her quote.

Later, I have read the independance speech of the Togolese first President, Sylvanus Olympio. He started his speech with this very proverb, to mean that no matter how long your pain will last (talking about colonialism), it’ll end up one day.

This is a Togolese proverb. It’s widely used in West Africa. In 2010, I’read it in “Parole d’honneur”, a novel written by Simone Gbagbo, the former first lady of the republic of Côte d’Ivoire.