Renowned Kenyan author and African activist, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, has passed away.
Renowned Kenyan author and academic Ngugi wa Thiong'o passed away on May 28, 2025, in Buford, Georgia, at the age of 87. Known for his powerful advocacy for African causes and his extensive literary works, he was a significant figure in African literature.
Born in a village northwest of Nairobi on January 5, 1938, Ngugi wa Thiong'o attended schools where Kikuyu was the primary language of instruction. However, following a state of emergency in 1952, English became the predominant language, a shift he later criticized in his seminal work, "Decolonising the Mind" (2011).
Thiong'o studied at Makerere University in Uganda and the University of Leeds in the UK, where he published his first novel, "Weep Not, Child," in 1964. Over the next decades, he authored numerous books, including novels like "Matigari" (1988), essays, and plays such as the influential "Ngaahika Ndeenda" ("I Will Marry When I Want"), co-written with Ngugi wa Mirii in 1977.
Thiong'o's career faced significant challenges when his 1977 play presentation sparked outrage from the Kenyan government. His play, performed in his birthplace, critiqued the transformation of Kenya into a "neo-colony" subservient to the interests of more imperialist powers. In response, he was arrested and the play was banned. The Kamiriithu theater was demolished, marking a major setback for the emergence of Kenyan theater.
In 1982, while in England, Thiong'o, fearing reprisals, chose to live in exile. Although he spent over twenty years overseas, his exile period was productive, with the production of numerous works. He returned to Kenya in 2004, but his welcome was marred by a violent attack; his wife was raped, and he was beaten and burned.
In his later life, Thiong'o became a professor of English and comparative literature at the University of California, Irvine, and continued to advocate for the use of African languages in literature and the arts. Thiong'o's dramatic arrest and the banning of his play in 1977 symbolized the risks faced by artists challenging authoritarian regimes and highlighted the power of theater and literature in political resistance.
[1] Based on the Enrichment Data, Ngugi wa Thiong'o's arrest and the banning of his play in 1977 marked a pivotal moment in African literature and activism. The play critically addressed issues of land dispossession, class struggle, and the exploitation of the poor. The government's intolerance of dissent and critical voices was significant in this context, as was the immediacy of the play's banning and the arrest of both Ngugi wa Thiong'o and his collaborator. The play's overt critique of the government and its popularity led to its immediate banning. Ngugi wa Thiong'o's imprisonment became a turning point, as he wrote his first novel in his native Kikuyu while incarcerated, symbolizing his commitment to African languages and cultural expression.
[2] Reference(s):
- Minde, H. (2022, April 19). Ngugi wa Thiong'o, the Kenyan witness. Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2022/04/19/ngugi-wa-thiongo-le-temoin-kenyan_6065043_1674670.html
- Ngugi wa Thiong'o in a few dates. (n.d.). http://investpress.co.ke/galleries/ngugi-wa-thiongo-in-a-few-dates/
- RFI | Africa. (2021, September 13). Petals of Blood, Ngugi wa Thiong'o's Kenyan literary monument. https://www.rfi.fr/africa/20210913-petals-of-blood-ngugi-wa-thiongo-s-kenyan-literary-monument
- Okong'o, O. (2022, May 30). Ngugi Wa Thiong'o has Died at the Age of 87. Africa Is a Country. https://africasacountry.com/2022/05/ngugi-wa-thiongo-dies-at-87/
- Ngugi wa Thiong'o's arrest and the banning of his play in 1977 were significant moments in African literature and activism, serving as an example of government intolerance towards dissent and critical voices.
- The banning of Thiong'o's play and his subsequent imprisonment marked a turning point in his career, inspiring him to write his first novel in his native Kikuyu while incarcerated, further emphasizing his commitment to the use of African languages in literature and cultural expression.
- Ngugi wa Thiong'o's literary works, including novels, essays, and plays, are essential components of education-and-self-development and personal-growth reading lists, as well as sources of entertainment and learning about African history and politics.
