It's true that people will take advantage of you in Nigeria, but this happens everywhere in the world.
When I am weaker than you, I ask you for freedom because that is according to your principles; when I am stronger than you, I take away your freedom because that is according to my principles.
There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel.
Therefore, a prudent ruler ought not to keep faith when by so doing it would be against his interest, and when the reasons which made him bind himself no longer exist. If men were all good, this precept would not be a good one; but as they are bad, and would not observe their faith with you, so you are not bound to keep faith with them.
The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists.
In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835-1910
If Hitler invaded Hell I would make at least a favorable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.
It is better to take what does not belong to you than to let it lie around neglected.
It is easy to kick a person when he is down.
No man will labour for himself who can make another labour for him.
Never let a good crisis go to waste
When I look up, I see people cashing in. I don't see heaven or saints or angels. I see people cashing in on every decent impulse and every human tragedy.
In this life, it's not what you hope for, it's not what you deserve - it's what you take!
Politics are now nothing more than means of rising in the world. With this sole view do men engage in politics, and their whole conduct proceeds upon it.
One man's opportunism is another man's statesmanship.
There is nothing to be gained by waiting for a better situation. You see where you are and you do what you can with that.
You are not now to think what's best to do, As in beginnings, but what must be done, Being thus enter'd; and slip no advantage That may secure you. Let them call it mischief; When it is past, and prosper'd , 'twill be virtue.
Many an optimist has become rich simply by buying out a pessimist.
Politicians have no politics.
Those who failed to oppose me, who readily agreed with me, accepted all my views, and yielded easily to my opinions, were those who did me the most injury, and were my worst enemies, because, by surrendering to me so easily, they encouraged me to go too far... I was then too powerful for any man, except myself, to injure me.
I've never been conscious of having any real career plan, and I do not have a wish-list of actors, directors, screenwriters, or cameramen I'm hoping to work with. Life, I feel, has a way of leading us to the right situations and people, or at least to interesting ones.
Politicians are like weather vanes.
Truth is, I've always been selling out. The difference is that in the past, I looked like I had integrity because there were no buyers.
Common sense is no match for political opportunism.
I often feel that worse than the most fiendish Nazis were those Germans who went along with the persecution of the Jews not because they really disliked them but because it was the thing.
