Ngugi in a past event at Alliance Française
I had the rare privilege of talking with Ngúgi wa Thiong'o twice this year. During our first conversation he asked my name and I said , "Wangú", he asked in his characteristic humour, "Ní Wangú wa Makeri?/ Are you Wangú wa Makeri?" I laughed, remembering that famous/infamous Gíkúyú legendary chief, Wangú wa Makeri, but I answered, "Aca ní Wangú wa Maranga wa Musonye/ No I am Wangú Maranga-Musonye". He laughed in turn. It is good to remember that light-hearted banter even in this sad moment.
The fall of the Múgumo of African Literature resounds with reverberating echoes. At UoN, he made a mark not only as the first African Chair of the Department of Literature, but also as the champion of the decolonization of Literature and its pedagogy through what is now known as the Nairobi Revolution. The foundation he laid continues to be seen in the curriculum, theatre practice and research trends in the department and beyond.
His curtain has fallen, but what he immortalized in pages through his writing will continue to speak through the ages.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Prof. Miriam Maranga-Musonye (Chair, Dept of Literature @ UoN).
I witnessed Prof. Ngugi's wit and humour first hand when he visited the University of Nairobi in 2015 and asked me what magic I had used to transform myself from an older version to the younger he was seeing,clearly making a joke about the fact that he had come across a father and his son in the Department of Literature. The great beyond is richer with his presence. May God Rest his Soul in Eternal Peace.
Dr Alex Wanjala, Department of Literature
During a WhatsApp call last Friday, May 23rd 2025, with Professors Miriam Musonye and Peter Ndiang’ui, we had the rare pleasure of conversing with Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o in the intimacy of our languages. True to his lifelong devotion to the power of African tongues, he embraced the moment with evident joy. I was not surprised when he chose to engage me at length in Kikamba:
“Yii Makau,” he hummed, his voice rich with that familiar, near-nasal cadence.
“Yii Mwalimu,” I answered with reverence.
“Wumite ku?” he inquired.
“Kwitu ni Masaku, o vaa mbee,” I replied.
“Asanta muno,” he said warmly.
He was deeply moved by our efforts to document the legacy of the Kamĩrĩĩthũ Theatre Project https://kamiriithuafterlives.net/, expressing his gratitude with the gentle solemnity of one who knows the weight of memory. As we excused him from the call, it felt as though his appreciation lingered—less a departure than a silent blessing.
Makau Kitata
I first encountered Ngugi as a 7 year old through the Njamba Nene series, courtesy of my father. I read them in gikuyu greatly enjoying them as I expanded my Gikuyu vocabulary.
At that time, I didn't know who Ngugi was or what kind of literary giant I had read and it wasn't until I joined the university years later that I would realise who he was. The discipline has lost but his words live on.
Jennifer Muchiri
Ngugi was head of the department of literature when l was a student there. He also taught various courses such as Caribbean literature;where we learned about Santo Domingo Revolution;the black Jacobins.etc.when l was in the USA l attended some of his lectures at Spelman college etc.l taught his books and other works both in the USA and here.Notably;petals of blood.The River Between.Weep not child.Decolonizing the mind.etcHe has good grasp of prose writing -giving vivid descriptions and exploiting a variety of stregic tools to bring points home.His central theme; colonization; decolonisation and modern times keep recurring in his works.when l was outside Kenya and introduce myself many people would tell me of River Between.weep Not Child etc.He has contributed immensely to world literature.let him REST IN ETERNAL PEACE.lndeed a legend has rested.~ Monica Mweseli.Dept of Literature
Ngugi was rare person who combined his craft as novelist and playwright to mobilize community into such a powerful force to push for social and economic justice. He created a movement so powerful that it scared the government into banning Kamiriithu Theatre but the thought and spirit of liberation still lives in us. May his spirit live forever in us! Kimingichi Wabende
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