Nairobi, Kenya – Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, the Nobel Prize-nominated author and one of Africa’s most celebrated and influential literary figures, passed away on May 28 at the age of 87. His daughter confirmed the news on May 29, stating that Ngũgĩ “lived a full life” profoundly dedicated to literature, education, and social justice. She requested that Kenyans and admirers worldwide honor his immense legacy with celebration rather than grief.

A Towering Figure in African Literature

Professor Ngũgĩ authored a vast collection of novels, plays, and critical essays in both English and his native Gikuyu. His works powerfully critiqued colonialism, post-colonial authoritarianism, and social inequality. His best-known novels, such as “A Grain of Wheat,” “Petals of Blood,” and “Devil on the Cross” (famously drafted on scraps of toilet paper while he was imprisoned for his political views), gave an eloquent and unflinching voice to the struggles and aspirations of ordinary people. Upon news of his death, leaders, writers, and academics across Africa and the globe paid heartfelt tribute. Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga described him as “a giant among African authors,” while Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka hailed his unwavering courage in speaking truth to power.

National Recognition

In Nairobi, President William Ruto released a statement lauding Ngũgĩ as “the towering giant of Kenyan letters.” He noted that Ngũgĩ’s extensive body of work sprang from a “deep and earnest quest for truth and understanding.” Kenyan legislators observed a moment of silence in Parliament on May 30 in his honor. The nation will remember Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o as a cultural hero whose books inspired generations to think critically about justice, freedom, language, and identity.