Wole Soyinka quotes - page 5

It is the human potentials that interest me. I travel and everywhere I go I am amazed at the presence of Nigerians. The intelligence, integrity, productivity, initiative. (Wole Soyinka)
My definition of slavery is the deprivation of human volition, any form of relationship between two peoples which is based on the deprivation of volition of one side. View quote
Wole Soyinka
The media owes the responsibility to constantly tell the public the truth. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Governance can dig itself into a huge hole and not even know it's in there. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Religion has really spawned some monsters. It always has, historically. Go all the way back to the Inquisition, you know, the Crusades, the Jehad and so on. View quote
Wole Soyinka
I have no money to give to you but I have ideas and organizational capacity. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Sadness is twilight's kiss on earth. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Let's say there are prospects for a new Nigeria, but I don't think we have a new Nigeria yet. View quote
Wole Soyinka
It's the place to begin, always -- to return to home, literally. View quote
Wole Soyinka
I can look violence in the face and either reject or accept it. View quote
Wole Soyinka
I began writing early - very, very early... I was already writing short stories for the radio and selling poems to poetry and art festivals; I was involved in school plays; I wrote essays, so there was no definite moment when I said, 'Now I'm a writer.' I've always been a writer. (Wole Soyinka)
The media must be used effectively to reach the masses. You have to find a new language in which to address the people and demonstrate what is possible. View quote
Wole Soyinka
You have the entire gamut of human experience captured in the mythology of the Yoruba. This is what makes the Yoruba mythology a natural source material for me in my creative endeavours. View quote
Wole Soyinka
A human feast is an indifferent morsel to a god. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Alfred Nobel regretted that his invention, dynamite, was converted to degrading use, hence his creation of the Nobel Prize, as the humanist counter to the destructive power of his genius. View quote
Wole Soyinka
As a global citizen, I sometimes feel like denying my identity. View quote
Wole Soyinka
When I say war, I'm not talking about mental war; I'm talking about totally eliminating the obstacles to transformation of our children. View quote
Wole Soyinka
There is something really horrific for any human being who feels he is being consumed by other people. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Writers - human. I shudder to think how I must sometimes appear to others. View quote
Wole Soyinka
It is not fair to those who fight corruption that they have to fight the aggressiveness, the impunity of the corrupt. View quote
Wole Soyinka
It's my duty to fight those who have chosen to belong to the party of death, those who say they receive their orders from God somewhere and believe they have a duty to set the world on fire to achieve their own salvation. (Wole Soyinka)
I think most writers would like a quiet space, complete isolation, in which they control their own time. Spaces of creativity in which there's very little interruption. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Obasanjo has openly endorsed violence as a means of governance, embraced and empowered individuals whose avowed declarations, confessions and acts are cynically contrary to the mandate that alone upholds the legitimacy and dignity of his office. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Society itself is responsible for the degradation. View quote
Wole Soyinka
Sadly however, I discovered in one particular case that a colleague went and paid the bribe on my behalf, just to get our mission fulfilled. That was painful, and it strained our friendship. View quote
Wole Soyinka