Quote by Sony Labou Tansi: “Silence is often the greatest crime.”

This stark statement argues that remaining silent in the face of injustice can be more damaging than active wrongdoing. It implies that inaction allows wrongs to persist and even grow, making complicity through silence a profound moral failure and a significant hindrance to justice and necessary change.

In his novel 'The Anti-People,' Tansi critiques the oppressive regimes of post-colonial Africa where dissent was suppressed. This quote reflects his conviction that silence in such contexts perpetuates tyranny, urging individuals to speak out even at great personal risk to challenge corrupt power structures.

Congolese playwright, novelist, and theatre director considered one of the most important voices in Francophone African literature. His 1979 novel La Vie et demie was a landmark of African magical realism, and he founded the Rocado Zulu Theatre Company in Brazzaville. He died of AIDS-related illness in 1995.