[Olùkọ́ Ọbádélé]

"We too have not been immune to calls of the flesh, calls to tired minds to give up thoughts of creation when all around has become a praise song to destruction. Against the testing hardness of life on paths to the way strong and sweet indeed to the blinded mind are the calls of despair, and often has our contemplation of this present world and its arrangements lent heavy weight to such despair. Always, the counter to that despair has been in deeper contemplation of the universe, in contemplation bearing action. Let despair run its course; there is no need to cut it short. The present chances that frigthen, let contemplation of these same chances be definite, clear, sustained and deep. That is what removes the fear. For the knowledge of all the chances piled against us fighting against death is also sure knowledge that if fear turned us from fighting the chances would not decrease just for that. They would increase. That other call, the raw fear of death? That too is strong, overpowering almost, at times. Again the exit from fear is to let the mind enjoy its freedom to thrust deep, contemplating that most frightening eventuality known to the cut-off self: death. For the mind untrammeled reaches this knowledge: that in these surroundings usurped by destruction the distinction is not between those dying and those not dying in our physical selves, but in the quality of the deaths we choose. There are those whose physical death is at the same time the triumph of destruction's road. There are those whose physical death is a necessary preparation for a profounder life, life of our people, life of our way, the way."

Armah