Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, giant of African literature, dies aged 87
The GuardianWednesday, May 28, 2025 at 7:50:54 PM
The literary world has lost a towering figure—Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, the Kenyan author and activist, has died at 87. His daughter shared the news, calling his life "full" and his fight "good." Ngũgĩ wasn’t just a writer; he was a defiant voice against oppression, enduring censorship, imprisonment, and exile under Kenya’s dictatorship. He championed writing in African languages (like Gikuyu) and was often tipped for a Nobel Prize. His legacy reshaped global literature and African cultural pride.
Editor’s Note: Ngũgĩ’s death isn’t just the loss of a brilliant storyteller—it’s the closing of a chapter for a generation that saw literature as both art and resistance. His work challenged colonial narratives and pushed African languages into the global spotlight. For readers, writers, and activists, his life was proof that words could unsettle dictators and redefine identity. This matters because his fight—for language, freedom, and dignity—isn’t over; it’s just his turn to pass the pen.
— Curated via WP Now’s
