For us, the British Isles summed up that other world that lay well beyond the borders of our unsettled lives. It was the world of White magic, White mystery, and White power.
-- Okey Ndibe (English Dreams, Communist Fantasies, and American Wrestling)

Importance: In this quote, Ndibe shows how he viewed Nigeria's relationship to the rest of the world before gaining the education that led him to question Britain's cultural supremacy. Under colonialism, Nigerians were taught to view themselves as inferior to the supremely powerful British. The apparent cultural and technological superiority of the British was so ingrained that it seemed untouchable, hence the way it appeared as magic to Nigerians. When Ndibe receives the education that enables him to realize that the achievements of Nigerians, particularly in their own country, are equally important, he is no longer spellbound by White magic.

The purpose of the visit was to receive my marching orders.
-- Okey Ndibe (My Commission and a Chilly American Reception)

Importance: This quote, with which Ndibe describes his meeting...