Aidoo and Top 10 Ama Ata Aidoo Quotes-9jaliterature

 

Aidoo and Top 10 Ama Ata Aidoo Quotes 

By 9jaliterature 

So, one of the most celebrated authors and playwrights, a Ghanaian feminist and Africa's favourite Ama Ata Aidoo died on May 21, 2023, aged 81. The cause of death was an undisclosed illness. Aidoo was born in 1942 in a village in Ghana, she began writing around 15. She later proceeded to study literature at the University of Ghana, where she lectured for years. 

           In 1982 to 1983 she served as Ghana’s minister of education. Aidoo won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book for Changes and she published few books between 1970 and 1985, some of her publications include The Eagle and the Chickens (1986; a collection of children’s stories), Birds and Other Poems (1987), the novel Changes: A Love Story (1991), An Angry Letter in January and Other Poems (1992), The Girl Who Can and Other Stories (1997), and Diplomatic Pounds and Other Stories (2012).

In honour of her memory, we have selected and compiled few qoutes and hope that this little act can serve as a celebration of the works of Ama Ata Aidoo and her endless commitment to promote African Literature. 

1. "People are worms, and even the God who created them is immensely bored with their antics." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

(Ama Ata Aidoo (2015). “No Sweetness Here and Other Stories”, p.96, The Feminist Press at CUNY)

2. "The best way to sharpen a knife is not to whet one side of it only. And neither can you solve a riddle by considering only one end of it." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

(Ama Ata Aidoo (1987). "The dilemna of a ghost ; Anowa : Two Plays", Prentice Hall)

3.  "Humans, not places, make memories." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

4."Time by itself means nothing, no matter how fast it moves, unless we give it something to carry for us; something we value. Because it is such a precious vehicle, is time." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

5. "There are powerful forces undermining progress in Africa. But one must never underestimate the power of the people to bring about change." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

  (Ama Ata Aidoo (2015). “Changes: A Love Story”, p.192, The Feminist Press at CUNY)

6."For us Africans, literature must serve a purpose: to expose, embarrass, and fight corruption and authoritarianism. It is understandable why the African artist is utilitarian." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

7. "Love is fine for singing about and love songs are good to listen to, sometimes even to dance to. But when we need food for our stomachs and clothes for our backs, love is nothing. Ah my lady, the last man any woman should think of marrying is the man she loves." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

 (Ama Ata Aidoo (2015). “Changes: A Love Story”, p.47, The Feminist Press at CUNY)

8. "No matter what anybody says, we can't have it all. Not if you are a woman. Not yet." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo 

(Ama Ata Aidoo (2015). “Changes: A Love Story”, p.53, The Feminist Press at CUNY)

9. "The very old certainly do not go back on lunch remains but they do bite back at old conversational topics." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

     (Ama Ata Aidoo (2015). “No Sweetness Here and Other Stories”, p.57, The Feminist Press at CUNY)

10."Once in a while I catch myself wondering whether I would have found the courage to write if I had not started to write when I was too young to know what was good for me." ~ Ama Ata Aidoo

  (Ama Ata Aidoo (2015). “Changes: A Love Story”, p.168, The Feminist Press at CUNY)