I don't praise my people. I am their greatest critic.

I think not just Nigeria but I think the whole of Africa has to turn back to the rural areas and that's where the majority of the citizens are and that's where the engine of of development has to be found.

The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. One could almost write a whole chapter on him. Perhaps not a whole chapter but a resonable paragraph, at any rate. There was so much else to include, and one must be firm in cutting out details. He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: `The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.'

There is that great proverb — that until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.

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!

While we do our good works let us not forget that the real solution lies in a world in which charity will have become unnecessary.

It always surprised him when he thought of it later that he did not sink under the load of despair.