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The man was a complete nonentity until we crowned him, and now he carries on as though he had been nothing else all his life. It’s the same with Court Clerks and even messengers. They all manage to turn themselves into little tyrants over their own people. It seems to be a trait in the character of the negro

— Chinua Achebe Arrow of God (1964)

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More quotes by Chinua Achebe

A man of worth never gets up to unsay what he said yesterday.

Man of the People (1966)

Whenever you see a toad jumping in broad daylight, then know that something is after its life.

Things Fall Apart (1958)

A man who lived on the banks of the Niger should not wash his hands with spittle.

No Longer at Ease (1960)

In Chief Nanga’s company it was impossible not to be merry.

Man of the People (1966)

Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.

All Chinua Achebe quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Chinua Achebe (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.