By Our Reporter World-renowned Kenyan writer and intellectual Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o passed away at 87, his family announced on Wednesday morning...
By Our Reporter
World-renowned Kenyan writer and intellectual Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o passed away at 87, his family announced on Wednesday morning, May 28, 2025.
In a heartfelt statement, the family said the iconic author died peacefully, describing his life as “full” and his legacy as one to be celebrated.
“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,” the statement read.
“As was his last wish, let's celebrate his life and his work. Rîa ratha na rîa thŭa. Tŭrî aira!” (Let the strong and the weak celebrate. We are children!)
Ngũgĩ's son, Nducu wa Ngugi, speaking on behalf of the family, said details of a celebration of life would be announced soon.
Born in 1937 in Kamĩrĩthũ, Limuru, Kenya, Ngũgĩ rose to global prominence through his literary and political works, which championed African identity, language, and post-colonial freedom.
His early works, such as Weep Not, Child, The River Between, and A Grain of Wheat, are considered classics of African literature. In later years, he became widely known for his advocacy of writing in indigenous African languages, including Gĩkũyũ, and for his towering decolonial thought.
Ngũgĩ was imprisoned without trial in 1977 by the Kenyan government following the performance of his play Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want). After his release and subsequent exile, he became a professor and literary activist in the United States, teaching at prestigious institutions including Yale, NYU, and the University of California, Irvine.
His autobiography, Dreams in a Time of War, and philosophical work, Decolonising the Mind, solidified his place as a fierce defender of African identity and intellectual independence.
Tributes have begun pouring in from around the world, hailing Ngũgĩ as a titan of African literature, a revolutionary thinker, and a voice for justice.
As the world mourns his passing, readers and scholars alike are turning to his vast body of work, a testament to his lifelong mission to centre African voices, language, and stories.
Funeral and memorial arrangements will be shared in the coming days by the family.
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