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Michael Obi
An elderly religious authority in the village and one of Michael Obi’s major critics. He makes the most ardent case against Obi’s prohibitions on the village community’s ancestral traditions, noting that access to the path that runs through the school grounds is crucial to the community. His intervention comes at a time when tensions are on the rise between Obi, the school, and the villagers. As one of the older people in the village, he reminds Michael Obi that his prohibitions on the villagers’ customs go against the teachings and practices of the community as well as their fathers and forefathers. He is the voice of reason and the consciousness of the community all at once as he tries to safeguard their practices from Obi and his dangerous modern ways, steeped in colonialism, before it is too late.
Village Priest Quotes in Dead Men’s Path
The Dead Men’s Path quotes below are all either spoken by Village Priest or refer to Village Priest. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Dead Men’s Path
Quotes
“This path was here before you were born and before your father was born. The whole life of this village depends on it. Our dead relatives depart by it and our ancestors visit us by it. But most important, it is the path of children coming in to be born . . .”
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“The whole purpose of our school,” he said finally, “is to eradicate just such beliefs as that. Dead men do not require footpaths. The whole idea is just fantastic. Our duty is to teach your children to laugh at such ideas.”
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“What you say may be true,” replied the priest, “but we follow the practices of our fathers. If you reopen the path we shall have nothing to quarrel about. What I always say is: let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch.”
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I am sorry,” said the young headmaster. “But the school compound cannot be a thoroughfare. It is against our regulations. I would suggest your constructing another path, skirting our premises. We can even get our boys to help in building it. I don’t suppose the ancestors will find the little detour too burdensome.”
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Village Priest Quotes in Dead Men’s Path
The Dead Men’s Path quotes below are all either spoken by Village Priest or refer to Village Priest. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Dead Men’s Path
Quotes
“This path was here before you were born and before your father was born. The whole life of this village depends on it. Our dead relatives depart by it and our ancestors visit us by it. But most important, it is the path of children coming in to be born . . .”
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“The whole purpose of our school,” he said finally, “is to eradicate just such beliefs as that. Dead men do not require footpaths. The whole idea is just fantastic. Our duty is to teach your children to laugh at such ideas.”
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“What you say may be true,” replied the priest, “but we follow the practices of our fathers. If you reopen the path we shall have nothing to quarrel about. What I always say is: let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch.”
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I am sorry,” said the young headmaster. “But the school compound cannot be a thoroughfare. It is against our regulations. I would suggest your constructing another path, skirting our premises. We can even get our boys to help in building it. I don’t suppose the ancestors will find the little detour too burdensome.”
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