Ama Ata Aidoo

Politicians are easy to attack, but frankly, we are all guilty of not meeting the needs of Africa's young people properly.

They had always told me that I wrote like a man.

For us Africans, literature must serve a purpose: to expose, embarrass, and fight corruption and authoritarianism. It is understandable why the African artist is utilitarian.

I'd date someone younger or older; age doesn't matter to me. Or looks, really - it's all about maturity.

My first career ambitions involved turning into a boy; I intended to be either a railway guard or a knight errant.