I don't believe in the art-for-art's-sake philosophy. With the raw material before me and the gifts within me, I did my best to celebrate the voices …

- Uwem Akpan

I believe artists should be able to step into other people's situations, contexts and cultures and work from there. If artists don't have that freedo…

- Uwem Akpan

I have been very afraid of writing about other cultures and countries. I've been worried about getting the research wrong. I ask a lot of questions. …

- Uwem Akpan

I think fiction allows us to sit for a while with people we would rather not meet.

- Uwem Akpan

I always felt my writing could benefit from the attention of established writers. I knew my work could grow and be better.

- Uwem Akpan

I'd say my religious life has shaped my worldview; my writing, I'd say too, is an extension of the pulpit...it reaches folks who don't care for organ…

- Uwem Akpan

For me, as I've said many times, the story is not research. The story is how the characters relate with each other and with the environment... I try …

- Uwem Akpan

I believe that Jesus was both priest and poet. Imagine those powerful parables! My experience as a priest tells me it's not possible to reach the hea…

- Uwem Akpan

Maybe if we can find time to hug and cherish our families and the people around us, child suicide or college suicide wouldn't be rampant.

- Uwem Akpan