An artist in my view is always afraid of extremists; he is always afraid of those who claim to have found the ultimate solution to any question.
CHINUA ACHEBEIt has always been quite apparent to me that no important story can fail to tell us something of value to us.
More Chinua Achebe Quotes
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There is that great proverb – that until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.
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In fact, I thought that Christianity was very a good and a very valuable thing for us. But after a while, I began to feel that the story that I was told about this religion wasn’t perhaps completely whole, that something was left out.
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People create stories create people; or rather stories create people create stories.
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Art is man’s constant effort to create for himself a different order of reality from that which is given to him.
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A coward may cover the ground with his words but when the time comes to fight he runs away.
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When brothers fight to death a stranger inherit their father’s estate.
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It is the storyteller who makes us what we are, who creates history. The storyteller creates the memory that the survivors must have – otherwise their surviving would have no meaning.
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It is praiseworthy to be brave and fearless, but sometimes it is better to be a coward. We often stand in the compound of a coward to point at the ruins where a brave man used to live.
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One reason why I am quite angry with what is happening in Nigeria today is that everything has collapsed. If I decide to go back now, there will be so many problems – where will I find the physical therapy and other things that I now require?
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When a tradition gathers enough strength to go on for centuries, you don’t just turn it off one day.
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I am against people reaping where they have not sown. But we have a saying that if you want to eat a toad you should look for a fat and juicy one.
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If you have leaders who are prepared to incite group against group it is very easy to manufacture reasons and excuses.
CHINUA ACHEBE -
As a rule I don’t like suffering to no purpose. Suffering should be creative, should give birth to something good and lovely.
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I think back to the old people I knew when I was growing up, and they always seemed larger than life.
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Only the story can continue beyond the war and the warrior. The story outlives the sound of the war drum… The story is our escort. Without it we are blind… It is the thing that sets us apart from cattle.
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Whenever you see a toad jumping in broad daylight, then know that something is after its life.
CHINUA ACHEBE -
We shall all live. We pray for life, children, a good harvest and happiness. You will have what is good for you and I will have what is good for me. Let the kite perch and let the egret perch too. If one says no to the other, let his wing break.
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The world is like a Mask dancing. If you want to see it well, you do not stand in one place.
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A child cannot pay for its mother’s milk.
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Dancing is very important nowadays. No girl will look at you if you can’t dance.
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Each of my books is different. Deliberately. I wanted to create my society, my people, in their fullness.
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Charity is the opium of the privileged.
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A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness
CHINUA ACHEBE -
Wisdom is like a goatskin bag; every man carries his own.
CHINUA ACHEBE -
The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.
CHINUA ACHEBE -
An angry man is always a stupid man.
CHINUA ACHEBE