Popular African Author, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o Is Dead

Popular Kenyan author and scholar, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o has passed away at the age of 87.

The news was confirmed by his daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ, on Facebook, where she revealed that he died on the morning of Wednesday, May 28, 2025, and called on everyone to celebrate his life and legacy.

“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 daughter wrote.

The family added that more details about his memorial will be shared soon by their spokesperson, Nducu wa Ngũgĩ.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was a giant in African literature whose work spanned over six decades. He was known for his powerful storytelling, political courage, and strong belief in the value of African languages in literature. Despite facing imprisonment, exile, and illness, he remained a vocal and influential figure in the literary world.

Born in 1938 as James Thiong’o Ngũgĩ, he grew up in Limuru, Kenya, during British colonial rule. His early life was shaped by hardship, including the loss of his brother Gitogo, who was shot by a British soldier during the Mau Mau uprising. Gitogo, who was deaf, hadn’t heard the soldier’s command.

Ngũgĩ’s academic journey began at the Alliance High School, a missionary-run school, and continued at Makerere University in Uganda. It was there, during a writers’ conference, that he caught the attention of Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, who helped publish his first novel, “Weep Not, Child” in 1964. It became the first major novel in English written by an East African author.

He quickly followed with acclaimed works like “The River Between” and “A Grain of Wheat”. By his early thirties, he was already recognized as one of Africa’s most important writers.

But 1977 marked a turning point. That year, he abandoned his English name and embraced his African identity as Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. He also began writing exclusively in his native Kikuyu language. His last English novel, “Petals of Blood”, sharply criticized Kenya’s post-independence leadership.

That same year, he co-wrote a play titled “Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want)”, which examined inequality in Kenyan society. The play angered the government, and Ngũgĩ was jailed for a year without trial. During that time, he famously wrote a novel on prison toilet paper — *Devil on the Cross* — in Kikuyu.

After his release, Ngũgĩ lived in exile following threats to his life. He spent years in the UK and later the United States, teaching at top universities like Yale, NYU, and UC Irvine.

Despite being away from home for over two decades, his return to Kenya was met with huge public celebration. However, the visit took a tragic turn when he and his wife were attacked in their apartment. He believed the assault was politically motivated and soon returned to the U.S.

Ngũgĩ’s influence went far beyond fiction. He was a fierce advocate for writing in African languages, challenging the dominance of English and French in African literature.

In his famous essay collection “Decolonising the Mind”, he questioned why African writers continued to rely on colonial languages. He even called out his former mentor Chinua Achebe for writing in English — a criticism that reportedly ended their friendship.

Over the years, Ngũgĩ’s personal life was also in the spotlight. He was married twice and had nine children, four of whom became published writers.

In 2020, his son Mukoma accused him of domestic abuse, claiming his mother had to flee for safety during his childhood. Ngũgĩ never responded publicly to the allegations.

Despite multiple health scares, including cancer, heart surgery, and kidney failure, Ngũgĩ continued to write and speak out until his final years.

Though he never won the Nobel Prize, many believed he deserved it. His commitment to decolonizing African literature and lifting up native languages earned him a place among the most influential literary voices of the 20th and 21st centuries.

His death marks the end of a remarkable era, but his stories, ideas, and fearless voice will continue to resonate around the world.

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