James Ngugi Thiong'o popularity known as Ngugi was Thiong'o is a celebrated Kenyan and African literati who is well recognized globally especially in the field of literature. By the mention of his name anywhere in Africa , no one can ask you who is that. That means his literary works have impacted millions of people all over the world. I have read alot of Ngugi wa Thiong'o works. I was first exposed to one of his book back in high school , The River Between. This was the first novel he published while still a student in Makerere University. It is a book that evokes alot of emotions and feelings especially to the residents of Mt Kenya region. The setting is during the struggle for independence and there was alot of societal changes both Politically , sociologically , anthropologically and Economically.
In November , 1977 , Prof Ngugi wa Thiong'o found himself in a collision path with thr Jomo Kenyatta regime. President Jomo Kenyatta was fed up with information by the clique that surrounded him led by the likes of Attorney General the late Charles Njonjo , Ministers Dr Njoroge Mungai , Dr Kiano etc who felt that , the play NGAAHIKA NDEETNDA ( I will marry when I want ) as a threat to their continued plunder and looting of public resources in a newly independent Kenya which was struggling to recover from the shackles of colonialism. In those days , thr provincial administration was wielding alot of power and we're directly answerable to the president himself. The freedom of speech and media was highly censored. Newspapers like Daily Nation and Sunday Nation owned by the Aga Khan , Standard Newspaper owned by Lornhro group and the only locally Weekly Newspaper owned by Hillary Ng'weno were holding brief for the State and their news and reporting had to toe the government line.
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The play evoked alot of resentment from the government such that Prof Ngugi wa Thiong'o was picked from his house in the night of 27th Nov , 1977. The reasons for his arrest were not availed immediately but was informed it was a routine questioning. His house was vigorously ransacked whereby , the special branch slueths combed every room and space in Ngugi's house. A tense atmosphere rented the air. What shocked Ngugi is the contingent of both uniformed and plain cloth officers who were camping outside his house. His neighbors and the entire village of Kamíríthū in Limuru were mouth agape. Some developed a different perception of Ngugi. They knew him as a lecturer at University of Nairobi department of Literature which him and the likes of Prof Micere Mūgo started in early 1970's. In his book , Detained ; writers prison diary , Prof Ngugi vividly captures and documents the whole story of what transpired.
NGAAHIKA NDEENDA play was perceived to host socialist and communist connotations. The play was all about pleasantry , workers and bourgeoisie classes. That sent seismic shocks in political ruling elites in Kenyatta's goverment. The play was staged when there was huge approar in distribution of land and other resources which was held by European settlers. The peasants and workers believed that, the government had betrayed them especially in central province which heavily suffered the brunt of colonial settlement in Kenya. The Marxist, Leninist and Orwellian conceptions. This also sent alot of consternation towards the British and American imperialists who were check mating the spread of Communist by the Eastern Europe block led by the Soviet Union regime.
After many African Countries got independence , the founding fathers inherited the colonial structures of government. They wanted to maintain the status quo. The guiding principle was , " seek thee the political kingdom first and the rest will be added into you." So , to entrench this narrative , personal rule was the yard stick to all that which the political elites wanted enjoy. Prof Ngugi was detained at Kamiti maximum prison and confined in solitude. He was placed in a prison within a prison. A psychological torture that was ment to synchronize his mind and desert his literary works to speaking to the inner person of Wanjiku through the pen.
Prof Ngugi and the late Nigerian literati the late Prof Chinua Achebe have never been crown with Nobel Peace Prize for literature because of their criticism on imperialism and upholding of African culture , traditions and reasoning. That is the main reason and no one should lie to you. Whether they recognize him or not , Prof Ngugi wa Thiong'o abd the late Prof Chinua Achebe works will continue being celebrated across the African continental. From my end , I revere his literary works that will continue speaking and emancipating out minds that will help us view social , political, cultural and economic issues with a more informed and interrogative mind.
It is now 45years since the play was banned from being staged at Kamíríthū educational and cultural centre. Though Prof Ngugi wa Thiong'o won't be present when the play will be staged at Kenya National Theater , it is a good move by the government to allow the play yo be staged. That shows how democratic Kenya has matured and giving culture and literature space to thrice no matter how critical it may be evoking to the Country's governance and the conduct of its political elites. Freedom of speech and expression in Kenya through the media freedom both mainstream and social media is monumental. That's the fact.
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