03 Jun 2025

One of the important figures of the African literature may have fallen, but his thrilling and inspiring works will continue to dominate literary scenes across Africa. 

NgÅ©gÄ© wa Thiong’o, who died on May 28 aged 87, is remembered as a novelist, playwright, essayist and academic whose fearless political convictions often put him at odds with authority. 

Though many of his works challenged the status quo, it was his revolutionary play in the Kikuyu language, I Will Marry When I want, that ultimately led to his imprisonment. While in detention, he famously wrote his memoir on toilet paper.

Born James Thiong’o NgÅ©gÄ© in Kenya, the literary giant would later reclaim his identity as NgÅ©gÄ© wa Thiong’o, a name that became synonymous with the revolutionary fight for decolonisation, language reclamation, and cultural identity. 

His work has inspired generations of African writers, including renowned Motswana poet and author, Dr Pusetso Lame.

 It was in the quiet village of Hukuntsi where Dr Lame first encountered NgÅ©gÄ©’s work, a moment that would change the trajectory of her literary life.

“I vividly remember the first time I picked up NgÅ©gÄ©’s The River Between,” she recalled in an interview. 

“It was as if a new dimension of storytelling opened up before me. The novel was more than a narrative; but a powerful testament to resistance and cultural pride that transformed my perception of African literature.”

The themes NgÅ©gÄ© explored, particularly the struggle for identity and the tension between tradition and modernity remained with her over the years. 

“His characters’ battles with these dualities felt intimately personal,” she said. 

“They echoed my own journey of self-discovery in a rapidly modernising world. I often found myself reflecting on these themes, drawing strength from the resilience of NgÅ©gÄ©’s characters.”

NgÅ©gÄ©’s unwavering advocacy for writing in indigenous languages had a profound impact on Dr Lame. 

It ultimately inspired her to establish her own publishing company, Poetic Blood Publishers, which supports authors who write in African languages.

For Thulaganyo Mogobe, Literature Professor at the University of Botswana, his first encounter with NgÅ©gÄ© came during his undergraduate years through the novel, Weep Not, Child. 

But it was A Grain of Wheat that left a more lasting impression.

“In terms of impact and influence, A Grain of Wheat represents the experience of colonial betrayal in Kenya and showcases NgÅ©gÄ© as a more seasoned creative writer. I cherish it deeply,” Prof. Mogobe shared. 

Asked what distinguishes Ngũgĩ from other African literary icons, he pointed to his emphasis on collective struggle.

“Unlike many works that spotlight the heroic individual, NgÅ©gÄ©’s stories emphasise the power of the community. 

His Marxist-inspired worldview celebrates society’s ability to confront and resolve its own problems collectively,” he explained, adding that NgÅ©gÄ©’s passing marked a profound loss to the literary world. “We will continue reading his works and drawing inspiration from them. And hopefully, emerging writers will discover his legacy and carry it forward,” he said. ENDS