Ayi Kwei Armah quote interpretation...-gctid139284

[ayifan101]

Hello to all, this is my first time posting on this website; I have found many interesting things here so thank you for that firstly.

I was just after some suggestions about intrepreting one of Ayi Kwei Armah's quotes, the following:

"If I see things unseen by those who have eyes, why should my wisest speech not be silence?"

From what I understand he seems to be saying that, if other people can see the truth but turn a blind eye to the it ("...unseen by those who have eyes"), that perhaps he should do the same... Is this a correct interpretation?

Does the quote have some sort of context which explains it; for example, is he saying that those who do the above (ignore what they can in fact see) are wrong to do so, and that people should speak out about what they see?

Thanks in advance! (seems a simple enough quote, maybe I'm just being silly and missing an obvious point)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

I think I recall this quote from the Prologue of Two Thounited snakesnd Seasons. I don't have the book handy, but I think I remember the context. I believe the context was the cacophony of revelers headed towards destruction and how it would be unwise to try to shout at them to turn back because 1) they won't listen and you would draw their ire 2) you'd only be contributing to the cacophony.