Farewell to a literary legend: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o dies at 87

By The Inspirer Team

Acclaimed Kenyan writer and global literary icon, Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the age of 87.

The news was confirmed by his daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, in a statement shared on her Facebook page. She noted that further information would be released by the family spokesperson, Nducu wa Ngugi.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our father, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, on the morning of Wednesday, May 28, 2025,” Wanjiku wrote. “He lived a full life and fought the good fight. As per his final wish, let us celebrate his life and work—with both joy and sorrow. We are proud.”

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential writers and thinkers, known for his powerful works in both English and Gikuyu, and his lifelong advocacy for African languages and decolonizing literature.

Ngũgĩ’s prolific career spanned over six decades, during which he chronicled the transformation of Kenya from colonial rule to independence, unflinchingly challenging injustice and imperialism in all its forms.

His body of work includes groundbreaking novels such as Weep Not, Child, The River Between, A Grain of Wheat, and Petals of Blood, which became required reading for generations of students, writers, and thinkers across the African continent and beyond.

Born James Thiong’o Ngũgĩ in 1938 in colonial Kenya, he later adopted the name Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o to sever ties with colonial naming conventions. Raised in Limuru among a large family of peasant farmers, his life was shaped by the trauma of the Mau Mau rebellion and British repression. The brutal killing of his deaf brother by colonial soldiers and the forced displacement of his community left indelible marks on his worldview and writings.

Ngũgĩ’s literary journey began at Makerere University in Uganda, where a young Chinua Achebe helped publish his debut novel. That novel, Weep Not, Child (1964), made history as the first major English-language novel by an East African writer. Yet, even as he gained global recognition, Ngũgĩ increasingly questioned the use of colonial languages in African literature.

In 1977, he made a radical shift—renouncing English in favor of his mother tongue, Kikuyu, and began to write exclusively in African languages. That same year, his politically charged play Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want) led to his arrest by the Kenyan government. While imprisoned without trial, he famously wrote Devil on the Cross on toilet paper.

Ngũgĩ’s unwavering criticism of post-independence corruption and inequality placed him at odds with successive Kenyan governments. He spent over two decades in exile in the UK and United States, where he continued his activism and literary work, holding teaching positions at prestigious institutions including Yale University and the University of California, Irvine.

Despite personal and political setbacks—including a violent attack during a visit to Kenya and allegations of domestic abuse by one of his sons—Ngũgĩ remained committed to his mission of “decolonising the mind.” His 1986 essay collection under that same name became a manifesto for African writers seeking to reclaim cultural identity through language.

Ngũgĩ’s literary achievements earned him numerous accolades and near-annual predictions as a frontrunner for the Nobel Prize in Literature—a prize that, despite widespread anticipation, eluded him. Still, his influence remained profound, inspiring writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and generations of pan-African scholars.

He is survived by nine children, four of whom have followed in his literary footsteps. Despite his personal flaws and controversial family dynamics, his legacy as a fearless intellectual and champion of African narratives is secure.

As Africa and the world bid farewell to one of its brightest literary minds, the words he once wrote resonate even more deeply: “A writer has no choice but to side with the powerless.”

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o is gone, but his words will continue to speak—loud, bold, and free.

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The Inspirer will continue celebrating African voices who shape the continent’s past, present, and future. Share your thoughts or tributes to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o by tagging us @theinspirerpubl