How the Kenya Diaspora Alliance USA Celebrated Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o — And Why It Matters Now More Than Ever
On June 22, 2024, in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia, a historic event unfolded that transcended the formality of an award ceremony. The Kenya Diaspora Alliance USA (KDA-USA), in partnership with Georgia State University and a host of global supporters, honored one of Kenya’s most iconic literary and cultural figures: Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o.
This was more than a tribute—it was an act of cultural reclamation, a declaration of diasporic pride, and a moment of collective resistance. As Dr. Saisi Marasa, President of KDA-USA, rightly said: “There is no national pride in not honoring one of our greatest literary minds.”
Honoring While They’re Still With Us
Too often, our heroes are eulogized only after they’re gone. But on this day, the diaspora chose to celebrate Prof. Ngũgĩ while his voice, pen, and presence remain alive and impactful.
His work—spanning decades and continents—has agitated for freedom of expression, critiqued neocolonial leadership, and championed African languages as legitimate vessels of thought and identity. In his seminal work Decolonising the Mind, Ngũgĩ asked difficult questions about the cost of cultural erasure and what liberation truly means.
Honoring him was not just symbolic. It was urgent.
A Ceremony Rooted in Culture and Resistance
The celebration began with reflection—led by Dr. Shiro Chiro-Gikonyo and her daughter Wambui—recognizing the Gen Z generation’s role in Kenya’s ongoing struggles for justice. The room filled with music, poetry, and cultural performances that echoed the very spirit of Ngũgĩ’s lifelong message: that art, resistance, and identity are deeply intertwined.
The choice of venue—Georgia State University—was more than logistical. It was historical. It recalled the 1959 visit of Tom Mboya to Atlanta, where he connected with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to lay the groundwork for the Airlift Education Program that would change lives, including that of Barack Obama Sr.
Panelists, poets, professors, and performers from Kenya, the U.S., Sweden, Colombia, Mexico, and beyond joined hands in tribute. Each voice layered onto the next, crafting a rich mosaic of how Ngũgĩ’s work has shaped minds across continents.
A Literary Genius and Unapologetic Patriot
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o is a name synonymous with African literature, but his impact extends beyond the written word. He is a political dissident, a former Prisoner of Conscience, an exile who refused silence, and a relentless champion of writing in African languages.
In his acceptance speech titled “Our Wings of Glory,” Ngũgĩ reflected on a life lived in pursuit of truth: from founding the Kamĩrĩthũ Community Education and Cultural Centre with peasants in Limuru, to writing Matigari and Mũrogi wa Kagogo in Gĩkũyũ while in exile.
And in typical Ngũgĩ fashion, he didn’t hold back. Addressing the political climate in Kenya, he remarked, “We are not chickens, William Ruto.” His metaphor of the eagle raised among chickens reminded us that African languages are our wings to fly—our wings to glory.
The Diaspora as Cultural Guardians
KDA-USA’s leadership in organizing this event revealed the power of the diaspora—not just as spectators of homeland affairs, but as vital participants in shaping Kenya’s story.
From organizing university readings with Amnesty International Kenya, to amplifying the event on digital platforms, to mobilizing fundraising partners like the Open Society Foundations—KDA-USA is modeling what it means to wield influence from abroad.
And most importantly, they helped ensure that for the first time, Ngũgĩ voted in Kenya’s general election in 2022—an achievement rooted in their push for diaspora voting rights.
Inspiration for a New Generation
This event wasn’t just for the old guard. It was for the youth. It honored the lives lost in the June 2024 Gen Z-led protests in Kenya. It included performances by young poets like Wahu Njoroge from Malindi. It challenged new generations to take the baton from Ngũgĩ and run boldly toward justice.
Panelists drew powerful links between Ngũgĩ’s ideas and current struggles—be it racial inequality in the U.S., language rights in Latin America, or land justice in Kenya. In these conversations, young minds saw themselves reflected and empowered.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The honoring of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was not the end. It was a seed.
KDA-USA is now working on getting sets of Ngũgĩ’s books into Kenyan schools, organizing further literary events, and building platforms for sustained dialogue on justice, identity, and transformation.
Here’s how you can be part of it:
- Follow KDA-USA on Facebook and Twitter
- Visit the official website: kenyadiasporausa.org
- Donate to support future programs
- Read Ngũgĩ’s books, share them, teach them
- Amplify the work of African writers and thinkers in your communities
A Promise Kept, A Legacy Continued
This event proved one thing: the diaspora is not disconnected. It is determined.
To honor Ngũgĩ is to honor ourselves—our languages, our dreams, our unfinished revolutions. And in the words of Mwalimu himself, it’s time we discovered our wings.
Let’s fly.
