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Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o: The Passing of a Literary Giant and Defender of African Identity
Irvine, California – May 28, 2025 — The world of literature is in mourning following the death of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, the pioneering Kenyan author, playwright, scholar, and activist, who passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the age of 87. A titan of African letters and a fierce advocate for linguistic decolonization, Ngũgĩ's passing marks the end of an era for African intellectual and cultural resistance.
Ngũgĩ died in the United States, where he had lived and worked for decades as a Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine. His daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ, confirmed his death in a heartfelt message on social media:
"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."
Final Years and Cause of Death
In recent years, Ngũgĩ had been battling a series of severe health issues. He was undergoing dialysis three times a week due to kidney failure, had previously undergone a triple heart bypass surgery in 2019, and was a long-term survivor of prostate cancer, which he had been diagnosed with in 1995. Despite these medical challenges, he remained intellectually active and committed to his lifelong mission of promoting African languages and cultural sovereignty.
Although the official cause of death has not been released, sources close to the family indicate that complications from kidney failure ultimately led to his passing.
Tributes from Around the Globe
Ngũgĩ’s death has triggered an outpouring of grief and reflection from all corners of the globe, underscoring the immense influence of his life and work.
In Kenya, opposition leader Martha Karua praised him as
“a renowned literary giant and scholar, a son of the soil and great patriot whose footprints are indelible.”
Amnesty International’s Kenya branch honored him for his enduring commitment to justice, describing him as a fearless voice in “freedom writing.”
Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who often cited Ngũgĩ as one of her foremost influences, once called him “one of African literature’s guiding lights.”
His son, writer and scholar Mukoma wa Ngũgĩ, posted a deeply emotional tribute:
“I am me because of him in so many ways, as his child, scholar and writer. I love him — I am not sure what tomorrow will bring without him here.”
A Revolutionary Literary Career
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's literary journey mirrored the political and cultural struggles of postcolonial Africa. Born in 1937 in Kamiriithu, Kenya, he rose from humble beginnings to become one of the continent’s most celebrated and radical literary voices.
He broke new ground in 1964 with the publication of Weep Not, Child, the first novel in English by an East African author. Over the next decade, he produced a series of acclaimed works, including The River Between and A Grain of Wheat, which interrogated colonial violence, identity, and nationhood.
In 1977, Ngũgĩ made a decisive and symbolic break with English, the language of colonial power, announcing that he would henceforth write exclusively in his native Gikuyu. That same year, he was imprisoned by the Kenyan government after the performance of his politically incendiary play, Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want), co-written with Ngugi wa Mirii.
While incarcerated, Ngũgĩ famously wrote Devil on the Cross on prison-issued toilet paper — a defiant act of literary resistance that became emblematic of his commitment to grassroots cultural expression.
He later articulated his radical stance in the landmark 1986 work Decolonising the Mind, a powerful manifesto that argued for the liberation of African literature and thought from the psychological shackles of imperial languages.
Although often named as a potential Nobel Prize laureate, Ngũgĩ never received the accolade. Yet his influence transcended awards, reshaping debates on language, power, and cultural identity in ways no prize could measure.
Final Wishes and Continuing Legacy
According to his family, Ngũgĩ’s final wish was that people should not mourn his death, but rather celebrate the richness of his life, ideals, and work. His family has announced that a celebration of life ceremony will be held, with details to be shared by his son and family spokesperson, Nducu wa Ngũgĩ.
His daughter Wanjiku encapsulated the spirit of his legacy in a parting message that resonates with his Gikuyu heritage:
"Rîa ratha na rîa thŭa. Tŭrî aira!" — “Celebrate life and celebrate death. We are here!”
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o leaves behind a vast body of work — novels, essays, plays, and memoirs — that will continue to educate, challenge, and inspire. More than that, he leaves behind a vision: of an Africa that honors its languages, reclaims its narratives, and refuses to be defined by its colonizers.
As the world bids farewell to one of the great minds of the 20th and 21st centuries, it does so with the recognition that Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o’s voice will echo for generations — in classrooms, in resistance movements, and in the enduring power of words.
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