Maseru, May. 29–Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, one of Africa’s most influential literary figures and a lifelong advocate for African languages and decolonization, has died at the age of 87.
Ngũgĩ wa thiong’o ‘s novels such as ‘WEEP NOT CHILD’ and ‘THE RIVER BETWEEN’ contributed massively in Lesotho’s literature curriculum in the early 80s.
The news of his death was confirmed by his daughter Wanjiki Wa Ngugi who also reiterated how her father lived a full life and fought a good fight. She also indicated, he passed away peacefully in California, where he had spent his final years teaching and writing.
The leading novelist from East Africa, is reported to have been going through kidney dialysis, although the cause of the immediate death is still unknown.
Born in 1939 in colonial Kenya, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o emerged as a powerful voice in global literature during a time of upheaval and transformation across Africa.
His early works, including Weep Not, Child and The River Between, captured the struggles of ordinary Kenyans under British rule and during the fight for independence.
These novels placed him firmly in the canon of postcolonial literature, earning international acclaim.
But Ngũgĩ’s legacy goes far beyond his storytelling. . . .
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