My parents were early converts to Christianity in my part of Nigeria. They were not just converts my father was an evangelist a religious teacher. He and my mother traveled for thirty-five years to different parts of Igboland spreading the gospel.

I think once you're in the public eye whether you're a boss a teacher or whatever you do that you're automatically in the position of role model. You have people looking up to you so whether you choose to accept it or not is a different question.

I am the son of a small and far-away nation and the other laureates have all come from different countries from all over the world and we all were equally received here with signs of sympathy.

To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy. With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all.

Two nations between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy who are as ignorant of each other's habits thoughts and feelings as if they were dwellers in different zones or inhabitants of different planets. The rich and the poor.

Fame and success are very different things.

Independent films have a very different cachet than success films.

With the success of the last three or so years when a lot of people start treating you differently there's a danger that you may start to think of yourself differently. You rely on your friends to say 'Hey wake up!'

I've had a lot of success over the years racing in New York but the main point is that I feel the marathon is a different event a lot more my event.

A man desires praise that he may be reassured that he may be quit of his doubting of himself he is indifferent to applause when he is confident of success.