One of Africa’s foremost novelists, scholars and writers, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, is dead. This was disclosed by his daughter, who is also a writer, Wanjiku Wa Ngugi, on Wednesday in a Facebook post.
She said, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngugi wa Thiong’o this Wednesday morning, 28th May 2025. He lived a full life, fought a good fight. As was his last wish, let’s celebrate his life and his work. Rîa ratha na rîa thua. Turî aira!
“The family’s spokesperson Nducu Wa Ngugi will announce details of his celebration of life soon.” Ngugi wa Thiong’o was born on January 5, 1938, in a rural village in Kenya during British colonial rule. He grew up during a period of intense political and social upheaval, which deeply influenced his writing and activism.
Ngugi is widely regarded as one of Africa’s greatest writers. His works span novels, plays, essays, and memoirs, often addressing the legacy of colonialism, the struggle for cultural identity, and the effects of oppression.
His notable works include “Weep Not, Child” (1964), his first novel and one of the first English-language novels published by a Kenyan author.
Others include The River Between (1965), which explores themes of tradition vs. change; A Grain of Wheat (1967), which focuses on the Kenyan struggle for independence; Petals of Blood (1977), a critique of post-colonial corruption and neo-colonialism and Devil on the Cross (1980), which was originally written in Kikuyu, his native language, as a political statement.
His political views and outspoken criticism of the Kenyan government led to his imprisonment without trial in 1977. After his release, he went into self-imposed exile and continued his academic and literary work abroad.
Ngugi taught at various universities worldwide, including Yale University and the University of California, Irvine, where he was a professor of English and Comparative Literature.
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
