ByQuotes

Chinua Achebe Quotes

Powerful Chinua Achebe for Daily Growth

About Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe (1930-2013), renowned Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic, was a pivotal figure in modern African literature. Born Alfred Chinualumogu Achebe in Ogidi, Nigeria, he grew up in an Igbo family where storytelling was integral to daily life. His father, who was a Christian minister, instilled in him the importance of education and a deep appreciation for traditional Igbo stories. Achebe attended Government College Umuahia and then the University College of Ibadan (now the University of Ibadan), where he studied medicine but eventually switched to English and left without graduating to join Nigerian Broadcasting Service as a producer and announcer in 1954. His literary career began in 1958 with the publication of "Things Fall Apart," an unprecedented novel that offers a detailed portrayal of Igbo society before European colonization and its devastating impact through the story of Okonkwo, a strong and complex character embodying the traditional Igbo values. The book sold millions worldwide, making Achebe a global literary icon. In 1960, he published "No Longer at Ease," a sequel to "Things Fall Apart" focusing on Okonkwo's son, Obierika. In the 1970s, Achebe wrote the critically acclaimed trilogy, "A Man of the People," "Arrow of God," and "Those Who Were Lost." In 1967, during the Nigerian Civil War, Achebe was seriously injured when his car hit a tree. This incident led to a lifelong disability but didn't halt his prolific writing career. Achebe served as the David and Marianna Fisher Professor of Africana Studies at Bard College in New York from 1970 until his retirement in 2009. Achebe's works are characterized by their exploration of history, culture, politics, and humanity, reflecting his unique perspective as a bridge between the traditional Igbo world and modernity. His legacy continues to inspire writers and readers around the world.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter."

This quote by Chinua Achebe symbolizes the historical imbalance in narrative power, where the dominant groups (the "hunters") have been the primary authors of history and stories. The "lion," representing the marginalized or underrepresented groups, has not had a voice in shaping these narratives. As more voices from these groups take control over their own narratives, only then can the storytelling be balanced and truly reflective of all perspectives.

"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

This quote by Chinua Achebe emphasizes the importance of learning from history. It suggests that neglecting historical knowledge or lessons could lead individuals and societies to unwittingly repeat past mistakes, oversights, or conflicts. Understanding the past helps us make informed decisions about our future, allowing us to grow, learn, and progress as a society.

"We must take the society we have and remold it then we shall have a truly free society."

This quote by Chinua Achebe emphasizes the need for active change within existing societal structures, rather than wishing for a utopian world without effort. He suggests that true freedom can only be achieved through the conscious transformation of our current societies into more equitable ones, as this is the only way to realize a truly free and just society. It's a call to action, urging people to participate in shaping their communities for the better, with the goal of creating an environment that fosters true liberty and fairness for all its members.

"Be careful when you follow the crowd; they may be going to places where you do not wish to go."

This quote by Chinua Achebe emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and individuality over blind conformity. The message is that while it can be tempting to simply follow the masses, one should be cautious as they might be led to places or situations that are not in line with their personal values, beliefs, or goals. Instead, it encourages us to trust our judgment, think independently, and chart our own paths in life.

"A man who calls his kinsman nasty names is not far from doing him harm."

This quote by Chinua Achebe emphasizes the power of words. It suggests that verbal attacks or insults directed towards one's kin or community can escalate into physical harm. In other words, harsh or derogatory language can create tension, strain relationships, and potentially lead to harmful actions. Therefore, it is important to use words with care when interacting with family and community members.

Once you allow yourself to identify with the people in a story, then you might begin to see yourself in that story even if on the surface it's far removed from your situation. This is what I try to tell my students: this is one great thing that literature can do - it can make us identify with situations and people far away.

- Chinua Achebe

Tell, Away, Allow, Identify

When a tradition gathers enough strength to go on for centuries, you don't just turn it off one day.

- Chinua Achebe

Strength, Go, One Day, Centuries

One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.

- Chinua Achebe

Integrity, Blunt, Truest, Tests

Once a novel gets going and I know it is viable, I don't then worry about plot or themes. These things will come in almost automatically because the characters are now pulling the story.

- Chinua Achebe

About, Themes, Almost, Automatically

My parents were early converts to Christianity in my part of Nigeria. They were not just converts; my father was an evangelist, a religious teacher. He and my mother traveled for thirty-five years to different parts of Igboland, spreading the gospel.

- Chinua Achebe

Religious, Part, Nigeria, Converts

A functioning, robust democracy requires a healthy educated, participatory followership, and an educated, morally grounded leadership.

- Chinua Achebe

Healthy, Educated, Robust, Morally

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.

- Chinua Achebe

Words, Old, Which, Old People

I think back to the old people I knew when I was growing up, and they always seemed larger than life.

- Chinua Achebe

Think, Always, Larger, Old People

I don't care about age very much. I think back to the old people I knew when I was growing up, and they always seemed larger than life.

- Chinua Achebe

Always, Very, Larger, Old People

I think an artist, in my definition of that word, would not be someone who takes sides with the emperor against his powerless subjects. That's different from prescribing a way in which a writer should write.

- Chinua Achebe

Artist, Against, I Think, Powerless

An artist, in my understanding of the word, should side with the people against the Emperor that oppresses his or her people.

- Chinua Achebe

Her, Side, His, Emperor

The last four or five hundred years of European contact with Africa produced a body of literature that presented Africa in a very bad light and Africans in very lurid terms. The reason for this had to do with the need to justify the slave trade and slavery.

- Chinua Achebe

Reason, Very, Hundred, Hundred Years

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.

- Chinua Achebe

Art, Purpose, Always, Frustrate

Nigeria has had a complicated colonial history. My work has examined that part of our story extensively.

- Chinua Achebe

Work, Complicated, Nigeria, Colonial

Stories serve the purpose of consolidating whatever gains people or their leaders have made or imagine they have made in their existing journey thorough the world.

- Chinua Achebe

Journey, Stories, Imagine, Consolidating

There's no lack of writers writing novels in America, about America. Therefore, it seems to me it would be wasteful for me to add to that huge number of people writing here when there are so few people writing about somewhere else.

- Chinua Achebe

Here, Somewhere, About, Novels

But I liked Yeats! That wild Irishman. I really loved his love of language, his flow. His chaotic ideas seemed to me just the right thing for a poet. Passion! He was always on the right side. He may be wrongheaded, but his heart was always on the right side. He wrote beautiful poetry.

- Chinua Achebe

Love, Language, Yeats, Flow

I liked Yeats! That wild Irishman. I really loved his love of language, his flow. His chaotic ideas seemed to me just the right thing for a poet. Passion! He was always on the right side. He may be wrongheaded, but his heart was always on the right side. He wrote beautiful poetry.

- Chinua Achebe

Love, Language, Yeats, Flow

The people you see in Nigeria today have always lived as neighbors in the same space for as long as we can remember. So it's a matter of settling down, lowering the rhetoric, the level of hostility in the rhetoric is too high.

- Chinua Achebe

Always, Level, Nigeria, Settling

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

Instance, Different Places, Battles

The only thing we have learnt from experience is that we learn nothing from experience.

- Chinua Achebe

Experience, Learn, Nothing, Learnt

The damage done in one year can sometimes take ten or twenty years to repair.

- Chinua Achebe

Repair, Damage, Take, Twenty

The whole idea of a stereotype is to simplify. Instead of going through the problem of all this great diversity - that it's this or maybe that - you have just one large statement; it is this.

- Chinua Achebe

Through, Going, Large, Stereotype

The relationship with my people, the Nigerian people, is very good. My relationship with the rulers has always been problematic.

- Chinua Achebe

Always, Been, Very, Nigerian

I've had trouble now and again in Nigeria because I have spoken up about the mistreatment of factions in the country because of difference in religion. These are things we should put behind us.

- Chinua Achebe

Behind, Country, Nigeria, Factions

Art is man's constant effort to create for himself a different order of reality from that which is given to him.

- Chinua Achebe

Art, Which, Given, Order

Americans, it seems to me, tend to protect their children from the harshness of life, in their interest.

- Chinua Achebe

Children, Interest, Tend, Harshness

People from different parts of the world can respond to the same story if it says something to them about their own history and their own experience.

- Chinua Achebe

Own, About, Them, Respond

I was a supporter of the desire, in my section of Nigeria, to leave the federation because it was treated very badly with something that was called genocide in those days.

- Chinua Achebe

Treated, Federation, Badly, Genocide

The problem with leaderless uprisings taking over is that you don't always know what you get at the other end. If you are not careful you could replace a bad government with one much worse!

- Chinua Achebe

Always, Other, Over, Taking

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.