Ngugi wa Thiong’o: Kenya’s Literary Bench-marker

Teach a child to articulate and punctuate, and raise them socially aware of the transitions happening in their country and you may just nurture the kind of talent behind the name James Thiong’o Ngugi, known to the world as Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o.

Growing up in Limuru, Ngugi was well aware that the land his family resided on belonged to his ancestors. But the white man had sailed across vast oceans to come and take what didn’t belong to him – including the land on which James and his family lived. He was brought up in a country facing immense pain and bloodshed in the 50s and 60s when social consciousness amongst Africans was at its height in the colony of Kenya. He completed his primary education at Kinyogori Primary School and went on to make a mark at his secondary school, Alliance. Thereafter he travelled west to pursue his tertiary education at East Africa’s premier tertiary institution – Makerere University. During his time there Ngugi immersed himself in the literary world and found his niche in storytelling. By then, he had transitioned in more ways than one and dropped his Christian name in preference of his given name Ngugi wa Thiong’o. While in Uganda, Ngugi produced his first short story, Black Hermit, presented as a play in 1962 to celebrate Uganda’s independence.
In the months that followed, he was on a writer’s roll, producing several literary pieces. In 1964, two years after the debut of his work, Ngugi’s first book ‘Weep Not Child’ was published. The following year, The River Between landed on bookshelves of stores in East Africa. From Makerere, Ngugi extended his studies abroad by enrolling at University of Leeds.

When he returned home, Ngugi was ready to resume and build on his literary journey. In 1967, he was one of the lecturers at The University of Nairobi, passing on his knowledge to students taking English Literature. That same year his third novel – A Grain of Wheat – was published, further establishing him as a venerable writer in the global scene. While at Nairobi, Ngugi and his colleagues, Awuor Anyumba and Taban Lo Liyong authored an incisive bulletin that motioned for the change of ‘English’ to ‘Literature’ in a means of inclusivity and respect for local history before the colonial era. The bulletin consisted of five literary essays released over the span of three decades with the first in 1969 and the final in 1998. In the midst of this movement, Ngugi was working on his fourth novel, which he released in 1977. Petals of Blood tapped into neo-imperialism in Kenya and the book preceded a cultural play performed in Ngugi’s hometown of Limuru. The play was performed in Kikuyu and carried a call-to-action against the Moi regime. The controversial stand it took caused a stir and eventually led to Ngugi’s detainment. While imprisoned, Ngugi decided that henceforth he would pen his books in his mother-tongue.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s ability to compile a series of truths and real-life situations caused a lot of discomfort for some but uplifted many. His efforts did not go unrewarded. Over the years his work has been translated for an international audience. His messages have spread far and wide, becoming more pointed with each book, essay and play. In 2001, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was awarded the prestigious International Nonino Prize for his contributions to literature. He is the first and only Kenyan thus far to have received the prize since it was established in 1984.

We say thank you, Ngugi, for being a voice to the voiceless. For taking a pen and whatever piece of paper you could find and nurturing your talent and in so doing benchmarking #KeExcellence in the world of literature.