Farewell to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: The Man Who Wrote Africa Back to Life
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, who passed away on May 28, 2025, at the age of 87, was more than just a writer—he was a powerful voice for African identity, culture, and liberation. Born James Ngugi in colonial Kenya, Ngũgĩ dedicated his life to reclaiming African stories, languages, and histories that colonialism sought to erase. Through his novels, plays, and activism, he breathed new life into African literature, inspiring generations to embrace their roots and resist oppression. This is the story of a man whose words transformed a continent.
Early Life and Education
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was born in 1938 in Kamiriithu, near Limuru, Kenya, into a large Kikuyu family living under British colonial rule. His childhood was marked by the violent struggle of the Mau Mau Uprising, a defining moment that deeply affected his worldview. Two of his brothers were killed during the conflict, and his mother suffered torture—experiences that would later echo strongly in his work. These personal and collective traumas became central themes in his writing, exploring colonial violence and the resilience of African people.
He attended Alliance High School, one of Kenya’s premier institutions, before enrolling at Makerere University in Uganda. There, Ngũgĩ began to publish short stories and debuted his first play, The Black Hermit, at the 1962 African Writers Conference. Later, he moved to the University of Leeds in England, although he left before completing his thesis.
From James Ngugi to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
While in England, Ngũgĩ was inspired by radical anti-colonial thinkers like Frantz Fanon and embraced Marxist ideas. Determined to break from colonial legacies, he dropped his Christian name, James Ngugi, and adopted his Kikuyu name, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. This change marked a turning point in both his identity and his writing.
His early novels such as Weep Not, Child and The River Between were published under James Ngugi, but later works like A Grain of Wheat (1967) and Petals of Blood (1977) reflected his political awakening and commitment to writing exclusively in Gĩkũyũ, his native language. This choice was radical—it challenged the dominance of English and the colonial mindset embedded in language itself.
Academic and Political Activism
Ngũgĩ returned to Kenya and took up teaching at the University of Nairobi. There, he pushed to decolonize the curriculum by prioritizing African literature and languages over European ones. His activism extended beyond the classroom; he played a key role in abolishing the English Literature Department in favor of programs that centered African voices.
In 1976, Ngũgĩ co-founded the Kamiriithu Community Education and Cultural Centre, where he worked with local communities to develop participatory theatre in Gĩkũyũ. His play Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want), co-written with Ngũgĩ wa Mirii, and his novel Petals of Blood were seen as threats by the Kenyan government. In 1977, Ngũgĩ was imprisoned without trial. Undeterred, he wrote Caitaani mũtharaba-Inĩ (Devil on the Cross), the first modern novel in Gĩkũyũ, on toilet paper while incarcerated at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.
Exile and International Recognition
After his release in 1978, Ngũgĩ faced ongoing harassment and eventually went into exile. Over the years, he held academic posts in the UK, the United States, and Germany, including Yale, the University of Bayreuth, and Northwestern University. He later became Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and English at the University of California, Irvine.
In 2004, during a visit to Kenya, Ngũgĩ and his second wife, Njeeri wa Ngũgĩ, were violently attacked in their Nairobi apartment in what many viewed as a politically motivated assault. Despite such challenges, Ngũgĩ remained a passionate advocate for freedom of expression and African cultural revival.
Ngũgĩ was previously married to Nyambura wa Ngũgĩ, who passed away before him. Together, they had several children, including authors Tee Ngũgĩ, Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ, Nducu wa Ngũgĩ, and Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ, continuing his literary legacy.
Legacy and Passing
Throughout his lifetime, Ngũgĩ authored novels, plays, memoirs, children’s books, and critical essays. His short story The Upright Revolution: Or Why Humans Walk Upright has been translated into over 100 languages, spreading his influence worldwide. He also founded and edited Mũtĩiri, a journal published in Gĩkũyũ to support African language literature.
His contributions earned him numerous honors, including the 2001 International Nonino Prize and the 2016 Park Kyong-ni Prize, as well as over a dozen honorary degrees. Though many considered him a strong contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature, his true legacy lies in his unwavering commitment to linguistic justice, African identity, and political courage.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s legacy lives on in the voices he inspired and the cultural pride he revived. His work remains a powerful reminder of how language can fuel freedom and identity for generations to come.
Article By Suzy Nyongesa.
