In Nigeria, there is energy, whether it is Lagos, which is sheer anarchy, but it is not lethargic. It is strong, even aggressive and if that energy could be directed to work it will produce really enormous results. Chinua Achebe More Quotes by Chinua Achebe More Quotes From Chinua Achebe We live in a society that is in transition from oral to written. There are oral stories that are still there, not exactly in their full magnificence, but still strong in their differentness from written stories. Each mode has its ways and methods and rules. They can reinforce each other; this is the advantage my generation has - we can bring to the written story something of that energy of the story told by word of mouth. Chinua Achebe transition strong energy If you have leaders who are prepared to incite group against group it is very easy to manufacture reasons and excuses. Chinua Achebe groups excuse leader Privilege, you see, is one of the great adversaries of the imagination; it spreads a thick layer of adipose tissue over our sensitivity. Chinua Achebe tissues layers imagination When a coward sees a man he can beat he becomes hungry for a fight. Chinua Achebe coward fighting men There is no story that is not true. Chinua Achebe things-fall-apart-important abomination stories The only thing we have learnt from experience is that we learn nothing from experience. Chinua Achebe thought-provoking Charity . . . is the opium of the privileged. Chinua Achebe opium philanthropy charity Whatever music you beat on your drum there is somebody who can dance to it. Chinua Achebe beats dance When the British came to Ibo land, for instance, at the beginning of the 20th century, and defeated the men in pitched battles in different places, and set up their administrations, the men surrendered. And it was the women who led the first revolt. Chinua Achebe battle land men Ogbuef Ezedudu,who was the oldest man in the village, was telling two other men when they came to visit him that the punishment for breaking the Peace of Ani had become very mild in their clan. "It has not always been so," he said. "My father told me that he had been told that in the past a man who broke the peace was dragged on the ground through the village until he died. but after a while this custom was stopped because it spoiled the peace which it was meant to preserve. Chinua Achebe men father past ...when we are comfortable and inattentive, we run the risk of committing grave injustices absentmindedly. Chinua Achebe injustice risk running While we do our good works let us not forget that the real solution lies in a world in which charity will have become unnecessary. Chinua Achebe compassion real lying Nobody can teach me who I am. Chinua Achebe teach who-i-am What a country needs to do is be fair to all its citizens - whether people are of a different ethnicity or gender. Chinua Achebe ethnicity country people What I can say is that it was clear to many of us that an indigenous African literary renaissance was overdue. A major objective was to challenge stereotypes, myths, and the image of ourselves and our continent, and to recast them through stories- prose, poetry, essays, and books for our children. That was my overall goal. Chinua Achebe prose-poetry book children The language of young men is pull down and destroy; but an old man speaks of conciliation. Chinua Achebe thought-provoking down-and men Art is man's constant effort to create for himself a different order of reality from that which is given to him. Chinua Achebe men reality art For people who are coming out of an oral tradition, it is very exciting to get into reading and writing and it is quite interesting how frequently people want to write their own story. Sometimes it is straight history - this is how we came about, how our town was created, a lot of that kind of effort, as soon as literacy came. The first thing you wanted to do was to put something down about who you are or how you are related to you neighbors. Then the next stage would be the stories, the cultural part of the story: this is the kind of world our ancestors made or aspired to. Chinua Achebe reading writing people As a rule I don't like suffering to no purpose. Suffering should be creative, should give birth to something good and lovely. Chinua Achebe creative suffering giving I think not just Nigeria but I think the whole of Africa has to turn back to the rural areas and that's where the majority of the citizens are and that's where the engine of of development has to be found. Chinua Achebe majority citizens thinking
