Historic moment as Ngugi wa Thiong’o delivers speech in Gikuyu at UN conference
By Lucy Mumbi |
Prof. Ngugi, unable to attend in person, presented his speech online during the conference organised by the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA).
History was made on Tuesday when celebrated Kenyan author and scholar, Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, delivered his keynote address at the 2024 UN Academic Conference on Africa in his native language, Gikuyu.
The event, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, marked a significant moment in the representation of African languages on a global stage.
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Prof. Ngugi, unable to attend in person, presented his speech online during the conference organised by the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA).
This year’s theme, “Power, Justice, and the People: Human Rights and the Rule of Law for Africa’s Transformation,” highlighted key issues affecting Africa’s future.
The annual conference aims to amplify African voices in global development discussions, ensuring that African perspectives shape international dialogue.
It also explores the interconnectedness of development, peace, security, humanitarian efforts, and human rights. The event is a collaboration between OSAA, the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), and the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund.
During his speech, Ngugi wa Thiong’o shared a powerful message on the critical importance of African languages for true justice, including at the UN and beyond.
"If you know all the languages of the world and you don’t know your mother tongue, that is mental enslavement. But if you know your mother tongue and add to it all the languages of the world, that is Empowerment. Justice is never justice if conducted in a language one does not understand," he told the participants.
Thiong’o, often described as East Africa's literary icon, is renowned for his transition from writing in English to exclusively using Gikuyu, promoting African languages and culture.
His extensive body of work spans novels, plays, essays, and children’s literature. Notably, his short story The Upright Revolution: Or Why Humans Walk Upright has been translated into over 100 languages.
The prolific author is also the founder and editor of Mutiiri, a Gikuyu-language journal, and has held teaching positions at several prestigious institutions, including the University of California, Irvine, Northwestern University, Yale University, and New York University.
Even in his retirement, Ngugi remains active in writing, particularly in translating his works into Gikuyu. His most recent translation is of his novel The River Between, now titled Ruui rwa Muoyo.
He also contributes to current affairs through publications such as The Diaspora Times and Mugambo wa Kirinyaga.
Ngugi’s contributions to literature have earned him numerous accolades, including the 2001 International Nonino Prize and the 2016 Park Kyong-ni Prize.
Frequently mentioned as a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature, he has cemented his place as a global literary luminary.
The UN Academic Conference on Africa continues to serve as a platform for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to address critical issues impacting Africa's development, with this year’s event highlighting the importance of African languages in global discourse.
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