Want to play the gamified version of Igbo riddles? Try it now on KWUO!

Gwa m, Gwa m, Gwa m is a collection of Igbo riddles, a key part of Igbo oral literature. As a game it encourages both children and adults to learn and speak Igbo while deepening their connection to Igbo tradition and culture. It’s an engaging exercise for Igbo families, educators, and anyone passionate about preserving our heritage.

How to Play

Begin each riddle by saying "Gwa m, Gwa m, Gwa m", then state the riddle and wait for the other player’s response. To keep the challenge fun, only the person asking the riddles should view the answers, which we've included as a learning aid.

Enjoy and let the knowledge flow!

Gwá m ọ́ mààrà kà ọ́ jọ́rọ̀ wèrè ọ̀chị́chị́rị́ ná-àgá (Ụ́sụ́)
Translation: Tell me who knew how ugly he was and started walking at night (bat)
Gwá m ózu lìrì òǹwé yá (Ụ́kwàrà)
Translation: Tell me the corpse that buried itself (Cough)
Gwá m ǹwá sò gị́ báà nà ọ́hị́á mà ó sòghi gị́ pụ́tá (Ńsị́/Ńshị́)
Translation: Tell me the child who went with you to the bush but didn't come out with you (faeces/shit)
Gwá m ónyé ná-ètì ǹwàtà íhé n'íhù ǹné yá (Àgụ́ụ́)
Translation: Tell me who beats a child in front of their mother (Hunger)
Gwá m ónyé jìrí ìkpèrè gàzúò úbì ǹnà gị́ (Ọ́gụ́)
Translation: Tell me who went round your father's farm with their knees (Hoe)
Gwá m ónyé ụ̀wà dúm ná-àtụ́ ègwú; ónyé àmàà ǹné mọ́ ǹnà; ónyé àmàà ǹkpónà mọ́ mgbèì; ónyé àmàà òdìbó mọ́ èzé; ónyé ná-èmèté gị́ mgbe ụ́rà kàgbà ụ́tọ́? (Ọ́nwụ́)
Translation: Tell me who the whole world fears; who can't tell mother from father; who can't tell rich from poor; who can't tell servant from king; who wakes you up when your sleep is sweetest? (death)
Gwá m ànụ́ àkpụ́ n'ọ́nụ́ mà èrìghí èrì (Ìré)
Translation: Tell me the meat put in the mouth but not eaten (tongue)
Gwá m ǹwàtà gbà ọ́tọ́ jè úbì wèè màrà àkwà lọ́tá (Ọ́kà)
Translation: Tell me the child that went to the farm naked and came back with clothes (corn)
Gwá m ọ́ bị́àwà ọ́ màà mmá, mà ọ́ làwà ọ́ jọ́ọ́ ǹjọ́ (Mmádụ́)
Translation: Tell me who comes to the world beautiful and goes back ugly (human being)
Gwá m àkwà Chúkwú sụ́ụ́ ọ́ dị́rọ́ àkọ́ àkọ́? (Ìré)
Translation: Tell me the cloth God washed that never drys (Tongue)
Gwá m mmádụ́ àbụ́ọ́ ná-àgá nà ụ́zọ̀, mmírí ná-àmà ótú mànà ọ́ nàghị́ àmà ónyé nke ọ́zọ́ (Ńwànyị́ dị́ ìmé)
Translation: Tell me two people that when walking under the rain, water beats one but doesn’t beat the other? (pregnant woman)
Gwá m íhé gbà àkà bànyè ọ́hị́á chìrì ụ́mụ́ pụ́tá? (Èdé)
Translation: Tell me what entered bush empty handed but came out with children (cocoyam)
Gwá m ó nwèrè úru, ènwéghí ọ́kpụ́kpụ́ (jí)
Translation: Tell me what has flesh but no bones (yam)
Gwá m àgbọ́ghọ́ ọ́mà àná àmà-ụ́rà n'àhị́à (Àkpụ́)
Translation: Tell me a beautiful damsel being slapped in the market (uncooked fufu/cassava)
Gwá m àgàbà àgá ó kpèlụ́ àzụ́, ànàbà ànàbà ó kpèlụ́ àzụ́ (ìkìrì ụ́kwụ́)
Translation: Tell me what stays back when coming and stays back when going (the back of the foot)
Gwá m Ọ́gbá àkà àrị́ ènú (Àgwọ́)
Translation: Tell me what climbs up without hands (Snake)
Gwá m íhé gbà àkà gbàgó ènú, kùrù mmírí gbàdàtá (àkị́ òyíbò)
Translation: Tell me what went up empty handed but came down with water (coconut)
Gwá m ànụ́ nwèrè ótú ụ́kwụ́ (èrò)
Translation: Tell me of a bush meat wit one leg (mushroom)
Gwá m ǹwá màrà mmá ànàghị́ ékù n'àhụ́ (ọ́kụ́)
Translation: Tell me of a fine child that can’t be carried on the body (fire)
Gwá m íhé bụ́ nké gị́, mà mmádụ́ níílè kàrà gị́ nwèrè yá? (àhà gị́)
Translation: Tell me what belongs to you, but others have it more than you do (your name)
Gwá m ǹwá àgbọ́ghọ́bị́à àbụ́ ná-àgbà n'ísí? (Ụ́dàrà)
Translation: Tell me which pretty girl has pus on her head (red Cherry fruit)
Gwá m údé àsụ́rụ́ nà mbà á nụ́ yá nà mbà (ègbe m̀kpọ́nààlà)
Translation: Tell me a sound made in a town and heard in another town (canon)
Gwá m ó mèrè íhé é jìrí mà ǹtị́ ụ́là (ọ́nụ́)
Translation: Tell me who commited the crime that made the ear to be slapped (mouth)
Gwá m òkòròbị́à àbụ́ụ́ ná-àpụ́ nà ísí (èkpém ǹkwụ́ọ́chá)
Translation: Tell me which young man has whitish substance coming out of his head (gallon of palm wine)
Gwá m ògìgé chúkwú gbàrà (èzé)
Translation: Tell me what fence is built by God (teeth)
Gwá m èjèwé èjèwé ó bùté ụ́zọ̀, àlàwá àlàwá ọ́ kpàtà àzụ́? (ùnyógò)
Translation: Tell me what when going it is in front, when coming back it is at the back (Silluotte/Shadow)
Gwá m íhé mèrè ézē jìrí ràcháà ǹtụ́ (ùbé)
Translation: Tell me what made the king to lick ash (local pear)
Gwá m ìbé jí zùrù ụ́wà ọ́nụ́ (Ọ́nwà)
Translation: Tell me which piece of yam is enough for the whole world (Moon)
Gwá m òkòró chị́ ụ́tá ná-àgbá èzí èzí (Àkpị́)
Translation: Tell me the soldier who shoots his arrow without been sent (Scorpion)
Gwá m àgàdì ǹwànyị́ ná-àràrụ́ ụ́rà nà údù mmírí (mmánụ́)
Translation: Tell me the old woman that sleeps during rainy season (palmoil)
Gwá m íhé á ná-àgbá gbùrùgbùrú mànà ànàghị́ àrị́ yá élú (ùkwú òsé)
Translation: Tell me what is danced around but not climbed (Pepper tree)
Gwá m óbú ụ́zọ̀ èrí íhé é sìnyèrè (íté)
Translation: Tell me what’s the first to eat whatever was cooked (the cooking pot)
Gwá m ó bú ụ́lọ̀ yá àgá mbà (M̀bé)
Translation: Tell me what carries its house while traveling (tortoise)
Gwá m íhé yá nà ézē ná-àṅụ́kọ̀ mmányà (Ìjíjí)
Translation: Tell me what drinks with the king (housefly)
Gwá m íhé kụ́rụ̀ àkà kpàm! báà ọ́hị́á (Ụ́gbàkàlà/Ụ́kpàkà)
Translation: Tell me what clapped its hand kpam! and entered the bush (Oil bean seed)
Gwá m ǹwáànyị́ ògbè àrà úkwú (Ọ́jị́)
Translation: Tell me which woman has big breasts (kolanut)
Gwá m ụ́dọ́ sì n'ígwé wèrè rúó àlà (mmírí òzúzó)
Translation: Tell me of a rope that stretches from heaven to earth (rain)
Gwá m ọ́ dàrà ọ́bụ́ (ọ́lụ́lụ́) èrèghí ùrè (Ńkúmé)
Translation: Tell me what falls inside a hole and does not rot (stone)
Gwá m àkwá á sụ́rụ́ àsụ́ Ìgbò ná-ènyé ǹsọ́pụ́rụ́ (ụ́tárá jí)
Translation: Tell me what is the pounded egg that Igbos revere (pounded yam)
Gwá m àgbọ́ghọ́ àrà ànọ́ (òdò/íkwè)
Translation: Tell me what is the damsel with four breasts (mortar)
Gwá m ọ́ dàrà n'àlà ènwèghí m̀kpókọ̀ (mmánụ́)
Translation: Tell me what falls on the ground and defies collection (oil)
Gwá m ọ́là Chúkwú gbànyèrè à nàghị́ àpụ́ àpụ́ (Àkáráákà)
Translation: Tell me a ring that God puts (on someone) that does not fall off (destiny)
Gwá m ǹnụ́nụ́ ná-èfézú ụ́wà níílè mà ó nwèghí ǹkú (ùché)
Translation: Tell me which bird that flies around the world but has no wings (mind)
Gwá m ụ́gwọ́ ónyé ézē nà ògbènyé jì (ọ́nwụ́)
Translation: Tell me what is a debt owed by the king and the poor (death)
Gwá m íhé nọ́ n'íhú bè ǹné gị́ ná-èchèrè gị́ àkà m̀gbà (Àpị́tị́)
Translation: Tell me that which stays in front of your mothers house and challenges you to a wresting contest (mud)
Gwá m ósísí màrà mmá íjì mèrè ụ́tárị́ mànà ọ́ dị́ghị́ èbé á gá-èjíde yá àkà (mmámị́rị́)
Translation: Tell me which stick is good to be used for cane but there is no way to hold it with the hand (urine/piss)
Gwá m íhé ná-ebú úzọ́ rị́chaa ónụ́ ábị́a kà ríwá (ányá)
Translation: Tell me what eats first before the mouth eats (the eyes)
Gwá m íhé kpụ́ ọ́kpụ́ nọ́rọ́ n'ọ́hị́a (éró)
Translation: Tell me what wears a cap while sitting in the bush (mushroom)
Gwá m íhé kéré nwátà ọ́kpọ́ n'íhú nnè yá (m̀kpụ́rụ́ mmírí)
Translation: Tell me what knocks a child on the head in front of its mother (ice block/frozen water)
Gwá m íhé bú gị́ ụ́zọ́ táá ọ́jị́ ị́ wárá (m̀bọ́ áká)
Translation: Tell me what was the first to eat the kolanut that you broke (your fingers)