Every human being has a bit of gangster in him.

There is no country in the world with the diversity, confidence and talent and black pride like Nigeria.

All people have dignity. Theres nobody who was born without a soul and a spirit.

Everywhere I go, I see young people: Confident, forward looking. I have seen them in Lagos, in Rwanda, in the suburbs of London.

I’m extremely optimistic about rapid transformation and change of things in Africa in general.

I believe in, and will to the best of my ability fight for, equal rights and freedom of opinion for everyone, regardless of colour, religion, nationality, orientation - you know the rest.

I like the idea of readers feeling a familiarity, whether its with Africa or childhood.

Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated

People reach an age... where somebody elses platform is no longer yours.

I love playing with words and texture.

I, Binyavanga Wainaina, quite honestly swear I have known I am a homosexual since I was five.

If you have a definite purpose with a plan, you will definitely reach it.

The powers that be are ordained of God.

Becoming an entrepreneur was the furthest thing from my mind. I actually had an identity crisis when I realized I had become one.

When we say that a man controls himself, we must specify who is controlling whom.

And somehow mother nature manages to create this incredible biosphere, to create this incredibly rich environment of animals and plants with this amazingly small amount of data.

When we feel happy and peaceful, our happiness and peace radiates around us, and others can enjoy it as well. This is called 'the enjoyment of others of our body of bliss'.

Only through the inner channels can a person even hope to approach the ancient wisdoms. The outer works are thus simply a doorway to the hidden, spiritual things of life.

I don't think Mike Tyson's a bad guy. I think the people, the media, makes him out to be a bad guy.

The word 'potential' used to hang over me like a cloud.

Books are becoming everything to me. If I had at this moment any choice in life, I would bury myself in one of those immense libraries...and never pass a waking hour without a book before me.