Kenyan novelist and playwright Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, one of Africa's most influential writer, left an indelible mark on African literature for his insistence to work in his indigenous language and ‘decolonising’ minds.

He died on Wednesday in the United States at the age of 87, following a struggle with ill health in recent years.

Born James Ngũgĩ in January 1938, in Limuru near the capital, Nairobi, his writings were shaped by his experience of the struggle against British colonial rule and a critical examination of Western influence on African languages and cultures.

He changed his name in the 1960’s and later decided to never write in English language again. He proceeded to write novels, short stories, poems and plays in his Gikuyu language that underlined his disdain for what he called a hierarchy of languages.

‘Statement of authenticity’

“He believed strongly that to choose a language is to choose a world and it is to choose an ideological position. Therefore he chose to use his native language as a statement of authenticity and what he believed about the value of every language,” Miriam Maranga-Musonye, the chair of literature department at the University of Nairobi, tells TRT Afrika. Ngũgĩ was the pioneer African head of that department at the university.

The writer’s leftist leanings saw him criticise the inequalities of post-colonial Kenya and the emergence of a newly rich political class.

He was jailed without charge in 1977 after the staging of the play "Ngaahika Ndeenda" ("I Will Marry When I Want"), which was considered a harsh critique of post-colonial Kenyan society.

Released from prison in 1978, he went to exile in 1982, first to Britain and then to the United States, from where he published one of his best-known works, "Decolonising the Mind"

The book sought to address “a misconception that with the exit of colonial governance structures in African countries, that the decolonisation process had ended,” Miriam says.

Down-to-earth persona

“He argued that independence from colonial power only removed what was obvious, but the structures that hold people under subjugation still remained, that they are in the mind in the way we perceive ourselves, our languages, our cultures and our literature” she adds.

The soft-spoken writer was a down-to-earth person who at one point served as a board member at a primary school he attended in his childhood.

“If you met him, he was not a forceful person but his works were forceful. He was a mild person but his works were not mild,” Kenyan writer and journalist Ng’ang’a Mbugua tells TRT Afrika. “I became a writer because I grew up hearing people discussing him – how he used to be critical of Kenyatta (Kenya’s first president).”

Ngũgĩ biggest influence was changing the mindset of Kenyans to see the problems caused by inequality in society, Mbugua reckons.

“In some of his books he talks about the divide between the rich and the poor which is still a big problem today,” he says.

Tributes paid

The father-of three was a professor of comparative literature at the University of California Irvine. His most recent book was "The Perfect Nine", which was translated into English in 2020. It recounted the founding of the Agikuyu people, blending folklore and allegory.

Tributes continue to pour in for the celebrated author whose writings inspire and challenge readers to think about the complexities of independence from colonialism, justice, and the responsible use of power.

Kenyan President William Ruto paid praised Ngũgĩ 's legacy, describing him as a "towering giant of Kenyan letters" who made an "indelible impact".

"My condolences to the family and friends professor Ngugi wa Thiongo, a renowned literary giant and scholar, a son of the soil and great patriot whose footprints are indelible," wrote Martha Karua, an opposition leader in Kenya, on X.