University of Nairobi Leads National Tribute to Literary Icon Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
The University of Nairobi paid tribute to one of Africa’s greatest literary voices, the late Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, in a solemn and spirited national memorial held at Taifa Hall on Friday, June 21, 2025.
In attendance were members of the Ngũgĩ family, the University of Nairobi community, Kamirithu residents, literary scholars, students, the UoN Travelling Theatre, Kamukunji MP Hon. Yusuf Hassan, and the People’s Liberation Party leader, Hon. Martha Karua. The gathering united a cross-section of Kenyans in honouring the enduring legacy of a global literary icon whose words and ideas have transformed generations.
Prof. Miriam Musonye, Chair of the Department of Literature, recalled a recent virtual meeting with Prof. Ngũgĩ, just days before his passing, during which he joined briefly and smiled as plans for a symposium in his honour were discussed.
“His pen wrestled with injustice, history, and identity. He made us embrace our African languages—not just as tools of communication, but as instruments of dignity,” she said. “His decision to transition from writing in English to Gĩkũyũ was not merely linguistic. It was a political act, a declaration of self-definition.”
Prof. Musonye reflected on Ngũgĩ’s pivotal role in founding the Kamiriithu Community Education and Cultural Centre in 1976, alongside Ngũgĩ wa Mirii and local residents. Their co-authored play Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want) remains a landmark in community theatre and revolutionary expression.
“Kamiriithu taught us that the classroom is not the only site of learning. He built a theatre with the people, and that spirit continues to live on in the University’s Travelling Theatre,” she noted.
Prof. Musonye now occupies the same office in the Department of Literature that Ngũgĩ once held between 1973 and 1977. “It is fitting to honour him here, where his intellectual and artistic journey was deeply rooted. He showed us that the written word could stir souls—and unsettle empires.”
She likened Ngũgĩ’s impact to the fictional Honia River in his novel The River Between—a force that will continue to flow, nourish, and inspire through the recovery and celebration of African languages.
Kiarie Kamau, CEO of East African Educational Publishers, remembered first meeting the young writer—then James Ngũgĩ—when he submitted the manuscript for Weep Not, Child in 1960. He later dropped his English name and embraced his Gĩkũyũ identity, a journey Kamau mirrored. Despite global acclaim, Ngũgĩ continued publishing with East African Educational Publishers, demonstrating his loyalty to homegrown institutions.
“His books are symbols of courage and vessels of history. His choice to write in Gĩkũyũ transformed publishing in indigenous languages,” Kamau said. “Ngaahika Ndeenda wasn’t just a play. It was a revolutionary voice that spoke the language of the people.”
Prof. Ayub Gitau, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs), described Ngũgĩ’s legacy as both cultural and institutional. “His turn to writing in Gĩkũyũ was a bold affirmation of African pride and literature’s role in liberation.”
The Ngũgĩ family made moving virtual contributions to the tribute. His son, Tee Ngũgĩ, shared a recording of his poem A Crying of Winter, written during his period of mourning. Another son, Kimunya wa Ngũgĩ, read an excerpt from Devil on the Cross. The University’s Modern Artists (MAUoN) performed a powerful excerpt from The Black Hermit.
Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan offered a heartfelt reflection: “I’ve listened to Ngũgĩ speak in Nairobi, London, Johannesburg, and New York. He was always humble, always powerful. He empowered people to speak for themselves—in their own languages. Today, we honour not just a writer, but history itself.”
