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You cannot plant greatness as you plant yams or maize. Who ever planted an iroko tree — the greatest tree in the forest? You may collect all the iroko seeds in the world, open the soil and put them there. It will be in vain. The great tree chooses where to grow and we find it there, so it is with the greatness in men.

— Chinua Achebe No Longer at Ease (1960)

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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.

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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.