By Jeff .G. Doki
Artistic and intellectual ideological battles are integral to the broader struggle for survival and advancement.’ (Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Moving the Centre, 1993)
On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the renowned author from Kenya, Ngugi wa Thiong’O, triumphed over time until his passing. He stood out as an influential African thinker and scribe, empowering Africans through his works which simultaneously denounced various forms of oppression including slavery, colonization, neocolonization, and globalization. To start my homage, let me first highlight what might seem evident but remains significant—that scholarly endeavors primarily involve mental and spiritual effort. The term ‘intellectual’ carries multiple interpretations and can be complex. However, due to limited time and space, I will employ it loosely to refer to individuals recognized for their expertise and active involvement in generating, disseminating, and applying knowledge and cultural values. Even then, this description could still appear overly inclusive. Thus, I lean towards focusing more narrowly on ‘innovative intellectuals,’ those dedicated chiefly to advancing understanding, academic research, artistic expression, and broader symbolic creations. This group encompasses educators, researchers, authors, critics, legal professionals, among others.
Across Africa, intellectual endeavors commenced due to encounters with colonialism, which sought not only to subjugate but also to erase the identities and accomplishments of indigenous populations by negating their historical narratives and cultural legacies. Such efforts inevitably spurred reactions from African thinkers determined to reclaim and celebrate their heritage and pasts. Early academic communities emerged prominently within cities such as Ibadan, Dakar, and Dar es Salaam—centers known primarily for pioneering groups of historians dedicated to countering prevailing imperialist historiography aimed at erasing evidence of Africa’s rich precolonial era.
These scholars viewed it as crucial to shift focus away from Eurocentric perspectives towards one centered around African experiences—a pivotal step toward mental emancipation across the continent. Key figures leading this charge included renowned authors and statesmen like Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o alongside notable contemporaries including Kwame Nkrumah, Léopold Sédar Senghor, Julius Nyerere, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Dennis Brutus.
Ngũgĩ’s contributions through literature vividly illustrate themes central to recapturing lost traditions and resisting external dominance; works such as “Weep Not, Child,” “The River Between,” “A Grain of Wheat,” “Petals of Blood,” “Devil on the Cross,” and “Wizard of the Crow” resonate deeply with these struggles. His non-fiction writings—including titles like “Homecoming,” “Writers in Politics,” “Barrel of a Pen,” “Detained,” “Moving the Center” and “Globaletics”—further underscored his commitment to advocating for genuine understanding and recognition of African voices both locally and globally.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o has consistently focused on the topic of language due to its close ties with cultural and historical aspects. He argues that one significant way Western imperialism impacted African culture and literature was through language preferences during the colonial era. At that time, African languages were marginalized, whereas European languages gained prominence, becoming essential tools for Africans’ self-identification.
This circumstance led to a substantial paradox: although European languages remain official across much of Africa, they do not reflect the primary means of communication among most inhabitants—particularly peasants and laborers—who continue using local tongues. This tension is thoroughly explored in Ngũgĩ’s work “Decolonizing the Mind.”
Moreover, when considering Christianity’s role—a faith committed to shaping both minds and souls—the intertwining complexities of culture, religion, and language become even more pronounced, further validating Ngũgĩ’s persistent engagement with these themes.
Beyond everything else, Ngugi’s dedication to themes such as history, colonialism, and religion can be grasped within the framework that at the inception of African literature, most authors aimed to validate the value of African civilizations. Often hailed for shaping contemporary African literary traditions, Albert Chinualumogu Achebe candidly admitted that his inaugural work, “Things Fall Apart” (1958), served as an act of reconciliation with his personal past—a symbolic homecoming akin to a wayward child returning to their roots. Following this revelation, he discarded his Anglophone moniker, reverting simply to ‘Achebe’. Similarly, fellow African writers including Christopher Okigbo, John Pepper Clark, Gabriel Okara, Wole Soyinka, and even James Ngugi himself recognized the fallacy inherent in Christian dogma and embraced their roles as wanderers finding their path back to Mother Africa. Succinctly put, these individuals collectively stood up against both Colonialism and its covert accomplice—Christianity.
However, one aspect remains undeniable even to the least observant viewer or reader: throughout his life and literary journey, Ngugi embodied the role of a rebel dedicated to honesty. He remained loyal to his observations, listens, and experiences. Ngugi fearlessly led the path toward freedom and liberation for African people with courage and determination. His departure leaves our community lessened. Farewell to an educator, guide, and intellectual parent.
•Doki works as an author and holds the position of Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Jos.
SEE ALSO: Ngugi wa Thiong’o: Life and Writing
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