Giant of African Literature, Kenya’s Ngugi wa Thiong’o Dies Aged 87Nairobi, 29 May (ONA) —- Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o, considered one of
the greats of African literature, passed away at the age of 87, a
spokeswoman for his Nairobi publisher confirmed.
Thiong’o, who died in the US state of Georgia, leaves
behind a long legacy of critical works.
Born in 1938 under British colonial rule, he lived in exile in Britain,
before moving on to the United States. He only briefly returned to
Kenya.
An author and an academic, Thiong’o’s works range from novels
including “Weep Not, Child,” to non-fiction including his
much-acclaimed “Decolonizing the Mind” – a collection of essays about
the role of language in constructing national culture, history and
identity.
Thiong’o, who was tipped to win the Nobel Prize for Literature
countless times, first wrote in English, before switching to his
native Kikuyu, in a move that can be seen as part of his desire to
decolonize culture.
—- Ends/Khalid
