Meaning
A last, striking flourish often comes just before the end. The plantain plant, once it 'shoots' (throws up its flower and bears its bunch), then dies — so its final act of fruiting is a sign the end is near. A proverb applied when someone shows a sudden burst of unusual behaviour or energy that is read, in hindsight, as a sign of a coming end.
Examples
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Him suddenly a give weh him things — when plantain want dead, it shoot.
He's suddenly giving away his things — a final flourish before the end.
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Dat strange behaviour worry mi; when plantain want dead, it shoot.
That strange behaviour worries me; a last burst can signal the end.
Origin
A traditional proverb; the plantain flowers ('shoots') once, then dies. See [[plantain]], [[ripe-fruit-mus-drop]].
How it’s used
A final flourish/change can be a sign the end is near. See [[plantain]], [[ripe-fruit-mus-drop]].