We live in a society that is in transition from oral to written. There are oral stories that are still there, not exactly in their full magnificence, but still strong in their differentness from written stories. Each mode has its ways and methods and rules. They can reinforce each other; this is the advantage my generation has - we can bring to the written story something of that energy of the story told by word of mouth.

Poetry and slave trading cannot be bedfellows. That's where I stand.

Once you have really done all you can, then you can show it to people. But I find this is increasingly not the case with the younger people. They do a first draft and want somebody to finish it off for them with good advice.

The man that brings ant-infested faggots into his hut should not grumble when lizards begin to pay him a visit.

Serious and good art has always existed to help, to serve, humanity. Not to indict.

The lizard that jumped from a high Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no-one else did.

In my definition I am a protest writer, with restraint.