NAIROBI, Kenya — Renowned and award-winning Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o has passed away at the age of 87.
His family confirmed his death, which occurred on Wednesday morning in the United States.
His daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ, announced his passing on Facebook, writing: “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!”
She further stated that the family spokesperson, Nducu Wa Ngugi, would soon release details regarding the celebration of his life.
Born on January 5, 1938, in Kamiriithu near Limuru, Kiambu County, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was celebrated as a prolific writer, academic, and influential political thinker.
His acclaimed literary works, including ‘Weep Not, Child’ (1964), ‘The River Between’ (1965), ‘A Grain of Wheat’ (1967), ‘Petals of Blood’ (1977), and ‘Wizard of the Crow’ (2006), are lauded for their profound exploration of Kenya’s colonial and post-colonial experiences.
In 1977, his politically charged play ‘Ngaahika Ndeenda’ (I Will Marry When I Want), co-authored with Ngũgĩ wa Mirii, resulted in his detention without trial by the Kenyan government.
During his imprisonment, he famously penned ‘Devil on the Cross’ on toilet paper, marking his first novel written in Gikuyu.
Following his release, Ngũgĩ went into exile, eventually residing in the United States. He held the position of Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine. His scholarly and literary pursuits continued to center on themes of language, identity, and decolonization.
Ngũgĩ’s final published work before his passing was ‘Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas,’ a collection of essays and poems released this year. This compilation encompassed nearly two decades of his reflections on language, education, and influential figures such as Nelson Mandela and Chinua Achebe.
In this work, Ngũgĩ reaffirmed his lifelong commitment to linguistic and cultural decolonization, emphasizing the empowering significance of knowing one’s mother tongue alongside other languages.
His last major work of fiction was ‘Kenda Muiyuru’ (The Perfect Nine), a Gikuyu epic that was longlisted for the 2021 International Booker Prize.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o is survived by his children and grandchildren, many of whom have followed his path as writers, academics, and activists.
