“The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to...” — Ben Okri Quote

The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing.

I study people all the time. For some reason, we're not very good at seeing what's there or hearing what we're hearing.

When I write a poem, I go into a state of self-forgetfulness, and something higher takes over; I like to call it my best self.

I became a sceptic of one way of seeing the world. And I think it is what started me in my awareness that any worldview is superstitious.

Some of my reactions are very Nigerian. I still believe that words are things.

You draw on whatever's relevant to the part you're playing; it makes it more personal.

To me there's something so great about a singer who's very great and successful and does great work even though they don't have the best voice. Or a painter who's extremely successful in what they do but they can't draw like a realistic portrait. I find that very fun and very stimulating.

I like to sketch and draw and a lot of people don't know is that I drew a lot of my tats.

I used to want to be a children's writer, because I would have all these great ideas when I was little, and I'd write them and draw them, and turn them into class.