This proverb means, 'no-one is an island of knowledge.' We all learn one way or the other from the people around us. This is a story-turned-proverb in the Yoruba land.
It is a story about the tortoise, who thought he was wiser than others. In his supposed wisdom, he arranged a heavy bag, and attached it to his neck in order to climb a tree. With the load in front, he could not climb the tree. He tried to climb the tree all day but could not.
In the evening, someone came around and saw the tortoise struggling with this heavy bag as he attempted to climb the tree. The person then advised the tortoise to put the bag behind rather than in-front. The tortoise did this and it worked. From this event, the tortoise learnt that he does not have all the knowledge as he assumed earlier.
This story turned into a proverb in the Yoruba land, and it is used to correct someone that thinks he knows it all.
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