Renowned Kenyan author Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, a towering figure in African literature, passes away at the age of 87.
acclaimed writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o, a counterpart for the Nobel Prize in Literature and a legendary figure in African literature, has passed away in the United States at the age of 87 according to his family. His daughter Wanjiku wa Ngugi confirmed his death in a message on Facebook with the words, "With great sadness, we announce the passing of our father, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, this morning of May 28, 2025. He lived a full life, fought a good fight. As was his last wish, let's celebrate his life and his work."
Born as James Ngugi on January 5, 1938, in colonial Kenya, he was a prolific author, playwright, essayist, and academic. Although he began his career writing in English, he became an advocate for the decolonization of literature and later adopted his native language, Gikuyu, as his writing language.
In the 1980s, he went into self-imposed exile in the United States, fleeing the dictatorship of Kenyan president Daniel Arap Moi (1978-2002), and worked there as a respected professor of English and Literature at the University of California. Mukoma wa Ngugi, another of his sons, expressed his heartbreak over his father's passing in a statement. "I am who I am in so many ways because of him: as his son, as an academic, and as a writer," he said.
Throughout his career of over half a century, he created novels such as "A Grain of Wheat" (1967) and "The Black Hermit" (2006), numerous plays, and short stories, memoirs, and essays like "Decolonising the Mind" (1986). In 1977, his play "Ngaahika Ndeenda" (I Will Marry When I Want To, in Gikuyu) was banned and he was jailed for a year in prison.
Kenya is mourning the loss of the esteemed writer as politicians, ordinary citizens, and organizations took to social media to pay tribute. Moses Wetang'ula, president of the Kenyan National Assembly, described him as "an intrepid sentinel of African consciousness." Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi called him "one of the most distinguished literary giants to have emerged from Kenya and, indeed, from East Africa."
In remembering the writer, the Kenyan office of Amnesty International expressed their sadness and praised Ngugi as a teacher. Human rights activist and feminist Nafula Wafula mourned the passing of the writer, calling him a literary giant and a fighter for freedom and pan-Africanism.
Through his works, Ngugi is remembered for advocating the preservation of African languages and culture. His literature explored themes of post-colonial identity, social justice, and cultural preservation, and continues to influence and inspire writers and intellectuals both in Africa and beyond.
Books written by Ngugi wa Thiong'o, such as "A Grain of Wheat," "The Black Hermit," and "Decolonising the Mind," offer an average of profound insights into post-colonial identity, social justice, and cultural preservation. His unique literary voice, expressed in both English and his native language Gikuyu, remains a significant contribution to entertainment and education in the realm of world literature.
