According to a statement issued by the Department of English, University of Ilorin, "the 1st Proverb Conference in Nigeria held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria, from 1st to 4th August, 2006 and the theme was "Contemporary Perspectives on African Proverbs". This international conference revealed amazing scholarly interest in proverbs on the continent.

"As the relations between nations and cultures become increasingly dynamic, the exploration of the proverbial indices of these contacts becomes of immense significance. These factors underscore the need for the creation of further forums for scholarly interaction between researchers, teachers or those who have a general interest in African proverbs. In the attempt to meet this need, papers are invited for the 2nd International Proverb Conference in Nigeria with the theme, "Evolutionary Trends in African Proverbs", which is to be hosted by the University of Ilorin."