Chinua Achebe

A man does not speak a lie to his son,” he said. “Remember that always. To say My father told me is to swear the greatest oath

What mattered was that a man had treated me as no man had a right to treat another—not even if he was master and the other slave; and my manhood requires that I made him pay for his insult in full measure.

Although he was still only a child it looked as though the deity had already marked him out as his future Chief. Even before he had learnt to speak more than a few words he had been strongly drawn to the god’s ritual.

Then the stranger went away and Mr. Nwaba retired to his room. Chike did not give much thought to the incident at the time. But he was to remember it later.

So Chike’s adventure on the River Niger brought him close to danger and then rewarded him with good fortune. It also exposed Mr. Peter Nwaba, the rich but miserly trader. For it was he who had led the other thieves.

A man of worth never gets up to unsay what he said yesterday.

That’s all they cared for,’ [Max] said with a solemn face. ‘Women, cars, landed property. But what else can you expect when intelligent people leave politics to illiterates like Chief Nanga?

He looked as bright as a new shilling in his immaculate white robes.

In Chief Nanga’s company it was impossible not to be merry.

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

As a man danced so the drums were beaten for him.

A man to whom you do a favor will not understand if you say nothing, make no noise, just walk away. You may cause more trouble by refusing a bribe than by accepting it.