Literature giant Ngugi Wa Thiong'o dies in the USA at the age of 87

Literature giant Ngugi Wa Thiong'o dies in the USA at the age of 87

Georgia, USA - ngugi Wa Thiong’o, the prominent Kenyan author, died in the US state of Georgia at the age of 87. The death of the writer was confirmed by a spokeswoman for his Kenyan publisher East African Educational Publishing in Nairobi. Thiong’o, born on January 5, 1938 in Limuru, was widely considered one of the most important African authors and was often under discussion as a possible candidate for the Nobel Prize

Thiong’o, who was once baptized as James Ngugi, organized his writer's career after studying at Makerer University in Uganda and the University of Leeds in Great Britain. One of his best -known works is the novel "Weep not, Child" (1964), which is the first published novel from East Africa. In 1967 he changed his name to Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and publicized the decolonization of culture by promoting the use of African mother tongues.

commitment and exile

During the reign of Daniel Arap Moi, Ngugi lived in exile due to his critical literature, initially in Great Britain and later in the USA. His return to Kenya in 2004 was only short -lived because he became a victim of an attack shortly after his return. Thiong’o spent a total of 22 years in exile and taught at various universities, including the University of California, Irvine.

One of his most influential works is the play "Ngaahika NdEenda", which was written in Gikuyu, his mother tongue. Despite its success, the piece was banned by the Kenyan government after only nine performances, and Ngugi spent a year in prison. During this time he wrote his first Kikuyu novel "Devil on the Cross" on toilet paper.

legacy and honors

ngugi wa thiong’o campaigned for the rights of the oppressed votes in Africa and criticized the political dictatorships on the continent. Some of his books, including "Lord of the Crows", "Burned Flowers" and "Dreams in Times of War", have also been published in German. His works were translated into over 30 languages, transferring many of his texts to English.

his outstanding work "Wizard of the Crow" (2006) had found International recognition. Thiong’O was awarded honorary doctoral dignity from various universities and was in the shortlist for the Nobel Prize for Literature. His most recent work “The Perfect Nine” was the first book in an indigenous African language for the International Booker Prize.

ngugi leaves a rich literary heritage and a family that shares his literary passion. Four of his nine children are also active as authors. In the coming days, Thiong’o will be remembered by the literary world and the many readers who have been inspired by his stories and message.