These powerful words from Nobel Laureate will change your life for better

Wole Soyinka is celebrated as one of the founding fathers of African literature, Africa's first Nobel Laureate of Literature and one of Nigeria's greatest minds.

Born July 13, 1934, Soyinka has been an inspiration to many with his stellar creative books, inspiring words, and for speaking out about issues concerning the nation.

While many of us know him through the lens of his beloved characters and intense essays, there is much more to Soyinka than his writings and rhymes.

To celebrate his birthday, below are a few interesting statements he has said that will actually change your life.

1. In an interview with Ayodele Arigbabu, he dished out this advice to young writers on perfecting their writing:

"As a writer you have to study human beings, study human relationships, be conscious of the anomalies in society, be conscious of the unacceptable face of social relationships, of governance, of the treatment of minorities, the unprivileged, the weak, and you have all that at the back of your mind, in other words, reintegrate yourself into the environment"

2. With an eye to the particular challenge that originality presents to the creative person,Soyinka explains that the best way to learn is to pay attention to the work of others:

"And I believe that the best learning process of any kind of craft is just to look at the work of others."

3. In a sentiment of acute timeliness as we are faced with the decision to belong and renounce our convictions, Soyinka adds:

"I don’t know any other way to live but to wake up everyday armed with my convictions, not yielding them to the threat of danger and to the power and force of people who might despise me."

4.In a radiant wisdom on the discipline of rejecting illusions:

"Don’t take shadows too seriously; reality is our only safety; continue to reject illusions."

5. Soyinka returns to the centerpiece of life itself—service to humanity:

“Human life has meaning only to that degree and as long as it is lived in the service of humanity.”

Compliment this list with Soyinka's rare conversation on writing and literature to feed your soul and Father of African Literature on storytelling, translation of his works to Igbo, and his advice to young writers

ALSO READ: 10 things you may not Know about Wole Soyinka