Kenyan literary icon Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o dies at 87

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, a pioneering Kenyan writer, has died at 87. He passed away in Atlanta.

Ngũgĩ was a fearless champion of African identity. He is considered one of Africa's most influential literary figures. His legacy includes a strong resistance to colonial dominance through language and literature.

Born in 1938 during British colonial rule, Ngũgĩ faced many challenges. The Mau Mau uprising and social injustices shaped his early life. These experiences fueled his powerful literary career.

His debut novel, Weep Not, Child, was groundbreaking. It was the first major English novel by an East African writer. However, Ngũgĩ later abandoned English for his native Gikuyu language.

He believed language was the soul of a people. “African literature must reconnect with African languages,” he said. This idea is explored in his essay collection, Decolonising the Mind.

Ngũgĩ’s commitment to political truth came at a cost. In 1977, he was arrested without trial for co-writing a play against government corruption. After his release, he went into exile but continued his activism abroad.

He taught at the University of California, Irvine. Through works like Petals of Blood and Devil on the Cross, Ngũgĩ addressed colonialism and neocolonialism. His sharp prose aimed to hold power accountable and critique post-independence ideals.