Posted by Ohikhuare Isuku
The last time a black African won the Nobel
Prize for Literature was some thirty years ago, when Nigeria’s Wole Soyinka
was honoured by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm in 1986. It was the first time
a black African and in fact an African for that matter was so honoured. African
soil shook with jubilation from the four winds, and even Soyinka’s Yoruba people
went with him to Stockholm (in dozens) for the award ceremony in December of that
year, where Soyinka delivered his Nobel lecture: This Past Must Address its
Present.
Although three other Africans have won the prize since then – the Egyptian writer, Naguib (1988) and the South Africans: Gordimer (1992) and Coetzee (2003) – none of them is black African. Hence for the last three decades, Africans have secretly yearned to feel jubilation surge through their veins once again; they have secretly wished a black African is honoured with the prize after three decades of silence.
Africans sole hope now rests on the veteran – Ngugi Wa Thiongo. Apart from being the most influential African writer who has not been crowned with the title, his works are genuine and among the best books of our time. He has written and excelled in different genres like play and prose, as well as being widely read in Africa and elsewhere. He writes in two languages, (English and his native Gikuyu); which turns out to be an added advantage for the literary icon.
But Africans debilitating fear now is that Ngugi has been nominated repeatedly for some years now but left out of the prize in the last round. This year, he is on the list again of most likely, according to prediction site (13-1). Will Stockholm crown his efforts which have spanned close to six decades this time around? Only time shall tell.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o who is a Kenyan writer, formerly writing in English and now working in Gikuyu, was born on January 5th 1938. His work includes novels, plays, short stories, and essays, ranging from literary and social criticism to children's literature. He is the founder and editor of the Gikuyu-language journal Mũtĩiri. His most notable works remain: Weep Not Child, The River Between, Petals of Blood, A Grain of Wheat, The Black Hermit (a play) and The Trials of Dedan Kamithi (a play).
Africans hope he will win it this time.
Although three other Africans have won the prize since then – the Egyptian writer, Naguib (1988) and the South Africans: Gordimer (1992) and Coetzee (2003) – none of them is black African. Hence for the last three decades, Africans have secretly yearned to feel jubilation surge through their veins once again; they have secretly wished a black African is honoured with the prize after three decades of silence.
Africans sole hope now rests on the veteran – Ngugi Wa Thiongo. Apart from being the most influential African writer who has not been crowned with the title, his works are genuine and among the best books of our time. He has written and excelled in different genres like play and prose, as well as being widely read in Africa and elsewhere. He writes in two languages, (English and his native Gikuyu); which turns out to be an added advantage for the literary icon.
But Africans debilitating fear now is that Ngugi has been nominated repeatedly for some years now but left out of the prize in the last round. This year, he is on the list again of most likely, according to prediction site (13-1). Will Stockholm crown his efforts which have spanned close to six decades this time around? Only time shall tell.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o who is a Kenyan writer, formerly writing in English and now working in Gikuyu, was born on January 5th 1938. His work includes novels, plays, short stories, and essays, ranging from literary and social criticism to children's literature. He is the founder and editor of the Gikuyu-language journal Mũtĩiri. His most notable works remain: Weep Not Child, The River Between, Petals of Blood, A Grain of Wheat, The Black Hermit (a play) and The Trials of Dedan Kamithi (a play).
Africans hope he will win it this time.
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