Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Kenya’s celebrated literary figure and anti-colonial thinker, has passed away at 87 in California, US. He died on May 28, 2025, due to complications related to kidney failure, after undergoing dialysis three times a week. Born on January 5, 1938, in rural Kenya, Ngugi wa Thiong’o was a renowned author, scholar, and activist known for his powerful storytelling, political activism, and commitment to African languages and identity.
Some of his most notable works include:
Notable Novels:
– Weep Not, Child (1964), the first English-language novel published by an East African author
– The River Between (1965), exploring tradition versus change
– A Grain of Wheat (1967), set during Kenya’s independence movement
– Petals of Blood (1977), critiquing corruption in post-independence Kenya
– Devil on the Cross (1980), originally written in Kikuyu as a political act of resistance
Other Works:
– Decolonising the Mind (1986), a manifesto for writers seeking to unshackle African literature from colonial frameworks
– Wizard of the Crow (2006), a sprawling novel set in the fictional Free Republic of Aburĩria
Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s literary career spanned decades, with his work often addressing colonialism, post-colonial struggles, cultural heritage, and social justice. He was imprisoned without trial in 1977 for staging the play “Ngaahika Ndeenda” (I Will Marry When I Want) in Gikuyu, and later held academic positions in Britain and the US, including at Yale University and the University of California, Irvine. His legacy as a literary revolutionary, political dissenter, and teacher continues to inspire generations.
