Quotessence
Home / Authors / Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka

Wole Soyinka Quotes

Writer

Filter quotes by topic

AllThinkingKnowsHumansPeopleWritingWorldIfsNigeriaCorruptionPoliticalWayBelieveCoursesFactsKindLiteratureCultureFeelsFormMean

Famous Wole Soyinka Quotes

“Nigeria is so peculiar and dramatic. Even talking about the potentials before we talk about the negativities, Nigeria is a nation for perpetual study. I think in Nigeria, it is the potential which hits people and makes them believe in Nigeria. It tends to make them react when they see potentials being wasted and it is a tragedy to see potentials wasted. But paradoxically, it is a realization of the existence, that positive, that keeps many Nigerians and even foreign people going.”

PeopleThinkingBelieveNationsExistenceTalkingStudyTragedyRealizationDramaticPeculiarPerpetualNegativityNigeria
Author:Wole Soyinka
Create image

“I think Nigerians got it wrong from independence as people became so conscious of the divisions because we wanted so much to satisfy the plurality of interests. I will say, we neglected the importance of real value, human value and the quality of potential in human beings and we contrived phrases like geographical spread, regional quota, etc and allowed mediocrity to reign. I think that is the problem that we are dealing with till today.”

PeopleThinkingHumansRealProblemTodayWantedValuesInterestHuman BeingsQualityConsciousImportanceIndependenceSpreadPhrasesEtcDivisionMediocrityReignNeglectedHuman ValuesReal ValueQuota
Author:Wole Soyinka
Create image

“We must acknowledge that we made a huge error in satisfying the lowest common denominator of the available human potential in Nigeria and we elevated what I call the reign of mediocrity. Quite frankly, I think it is about repudiating the past, creating space for new thinking for the best of the new generation, creating both political and geographical space and going at it with single mindedness that says, 'enough of buttering, sentiments and massaging the ego of the old brigade'.”

ThinkingHumansMadeEnoughPastPoliticalSpaceCommonGenerationsHugeEgoCreatingErrorsAvailableAcknowledgeSentimentsSatisfyingMediocrityReignLowestNigeriaNew GenerationHuman PotentialCommon DenominatorLowest Common DenominatorSingle Mindedness
Author:Wole Soyinka
Create image

“As you get drawn more and more into other activities, like political activities, very demanding, you have to find different rhythms of writing; I think that's the word I'm looking for, rhythms of creativity which then, of course, become very intense. I think your writing then tends to be very intensified simply because there are other demands which seem equally important.”

ThinkingWritingImportantDifferentSeemsPoliticalCoursesCreativityActivityDemandIntenseRhythm
Author:Wole Soyinka
Create image

“I never know who's influencing me at any time. I mean, I can take a play by Brecht and adapt it, I'm consciously adapting that play, or, as I've done with the Greek classics, Euripides and Oedipus, and I'm consciously adapting that play. Whether it influences me or not, I think it's the critics, the analysts who have to decide that. Me, I don't feel that I'm under the influence of any such sources.”

ThinkingKnowsFeelsMeanI CanDonePlayInfluenceSourceCriticsGreekAnalystsAdaptingBrechtOedipus
Author:Wole Soyinka
Create image

“Well, I think the Yoruba gods are truthful. Truthful in the sense that i consider religion and the construct of deities simply an extension of human qualities taken, if you like, to the nth degree. i mistrust gods who become so separated from humanity that enormous crimes can be committed in their names. i prefer gods who can be brought down to earth and judged, if you like.”

IfsThinkingHumansWellsEarthHumanityNamesQualityTakenCrimeDegreesCommittedEnormousJudgedTruthfulExtensionsConstructsDeitiesMistrustDown To EarthHuman Qualities
Author:Wole Soyinka
Create image