Art & Culture

In this republished article, written 15 years ago, the celebrated poet and performer, Sitawa Namwalie, reflects on her encounters with Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, his work and impact on her understanding language and identity.

Having published his first novel – Weep Not Child – in 1964, Ngũgĩ pursued a rich and acclaimed career as a writer, teacher and decolonial thinker. His last creative effort was Kenda Muiyuru (The Perfect Nine), a Gikuyu epic that was longlisted for the 2021 International Man Booker Prize.

Ngûgî wa Thiong'o was particularly keen in attacking Western hegemony: colonialism, religion, education, language and culture in his writings. He had no good word for colonialism. And he was as unapologetic as he was consistent.

Readers react following the death of the literary icon, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

He often said, “Our lives must be a constant struggle against systems that dehumanize and erase us.”