Chika Oduah

"Especially in developing countries, it's so important to get on the ground into the communities because the stats at the federal level, it may not be a real portrait of what's happening on the ground."

"If you’re a correspondent or if you do any field reporting, you have to be ready to travel. The extensive traveling will definitely affect your personal life. When it comes to marriage, it’s not uncommon for journalists to be divorced or to get married at a time that many cultures and societies consider ‘late.’ My inspiration Christiane Amanpour got married when she was 40."

"No one in this life can escape hardship."

"Biafran War Memories is a lifelong project for me. Most of the people who saw the war are in their mid 60’s and upwards. I’m trying to get the stories out of them while we still can, while they are still alive... We need to have a full story, which is why I’m not talking to just Igbo people."

"There is nothing wrong in using affirmative action to give a selected group of people the chance to succeed. What I propose is that chance to succeed should be given based on merit, not solely on the tribe, skin colour, gender, religion, or language. Unfortunately for Nigeria, meritocracy fell on the wayside shortly after gaining independence from the United Kingdom."

"Much of the bias against Igbo people are based on longstanding stereotypes."

"What is Africa for me? Africa is home, Africa is a treasure that has not received its due credit, Africa is a misunderstood place, Africa is ancient, and Africa has many secrets to discover."

"I think the misunderstanding (about Africa) comes from the fact that the world is split between powers. Right now Africa is really not in power when it comes to global politics. We still have the voices of the former colonialists speaking for many African countries... We still don't have Africans telling the stories of what is happening. The people telling the stories are non-Africans who have not really grasped the historical context of Africa."

"Poem has the ability to move the soul and wrap your mind around its mysterious magic."