Renowned African Novelist Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o passes away

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, one of Africa’s most celebrated novelists, scholars, and literary icons, has passed away.

The news of his death was announced on Wednesday by his daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ, also a writer, in a post on Facebook.

She wrote:
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngũgĩ 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 thŭa. Tŭrî aira!
The family’s spokesperson, Nducu wa Ngũgĩ, will announce details of his celebration of life soon.”

Born on January 5, 1938, in a rural village in Kenya during British colonial rule, Ngũgĩ came of age during a time of significant political and social upheaval. These early experiences would deeply shape his literary work and activism.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest African writers of the 20th and 21st centuries, Ngũgĩ’s body of work spans novels, plays, essays, and memoirs. His writing frequently explored themes such as colonialism, cultural identity, resistance, and the enduring effects of oppression.

His debut novel, Weep Not, Child (1964), was one of the first English-language novels published by a Kenyan author. He went on to write other landmark works, including The River Between (1965), which examines the clash between tradition and modernity; A Grain of Wheat (1967), which delves into the Kenyan independence struggle; and Petals of Blood (1977), a sharp critique of post-colonial corruption and neo-colonialism.

In 1980, Ngũgĩ made a bold political statement by publishing Devil on the Cross in Kikuyu, his native language, while imprisoned. The novel underscored his commitment to African languages and cultural reclamation.

His outspoken criticism of the Kenyan government led to his detention without trial in 1977. Following his release, he went into self-imposed exile, continuing his academic and literary career abroad.

Ngũgĩ taught at several prestigious institutions around the world, including Yale University and the University of California, Irvine, where he served as a professor of English and Comparative Literature.