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When a new saying gets to the land of empty men, they lose their heads over it.
Chinua Achebe
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Chinua Achebe
Age: 82 †
Born: 1930
Born: November 16
Died: 2013
Died: March 22
Essayist
Literary Critic
Novelist
Philosopher
Poet
Short Story Writer
University Teacher
Writer
Albert Chinualumogu Achebe
Empty
Gets
Lose
Loses
Saying
Land
Men
Heads
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A man's life from birth to death was a series of transition rites which brought him nearer and nearer to his ancestors.
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Among the Igbo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.
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No man however great is greater than his people
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...when we are comfortable and inattentive, we run the risk of committing grave injustices absentmindedly.
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I'm very primitive I write with a pen.
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When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.
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The language of young men is pull down and destroy but an old man speaks of conciliation.
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This is not pessimism but rather casting a cold eye on things. It is only one man's story, and I think that things will go better, but difficulties exist and nothing is served by hiding them under a poetic veil or under a lyricism of the past. I am against slogans.
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That we are surrounded by deep mysteries is known to all but the incurably ignorant.
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Poetry and slave trading cannot be bedfellows. That's where I stand.
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My position is that serious and good art has always existed to help, to serve, humanity. Not to indict. I don’t see how art can be called art if its purpose is to frustrate humanity. To make humanity uncomfortable, yes. But intrinsically to be against humanity, that I don’t take.
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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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Nigeria has had a complicated colonial history. My work has examined that part of our story extensively.
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Every lizard lies on its belly, so we cannot tell which has a belly-ache
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If you ask me, Now, is it your best book? I would say, I don't really know. I wouldn't even want to say. And I'd even go on and say, I don't even think so.
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When old people speak it is not because of the sweetness of words in our mouths it is because we see something which you do not see.
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Literature, whether handed down by word or mouth or in print, gives us a second handle on reality.
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Those whose kernels were cracked by benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble.
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I'm amazed when I think about students today. They know from day one what they are going to be. We didn't. We just coasted. We just knew that things would work out.
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Once you have really done all you can, then you can show it to people. But I find this is increasingly not the case with the younger people. They do a first draft and want somebody to finish it off for them with good advice.
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