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Why did Ngugi wa Thiong’o encourage debate about African writers using European or African languages?

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Athol Fugard sits in the center with John Kani on the left and Winston Ntshona on the right; all three are seated closely together outdoors. — African literature South African dramatist Athol Fugard sitting between actors John Kani (left) and Winston Ntshona, 1973.

Ngugi wa Thiong’o encouraged debate regarding the use of European versus African languages because he became increasingly sensitized to the lingering effects of colonialism on African culture and identity.1

In his influential work Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature (1986), Ngugi argued that literature written in African languages serves as the only authentic voice for African people. He contended that modern African literatures, which often emerged from colonial educational systems, relied on European models rather than indigenous traditions. By advocating for the use of languages such as Kikuyu or Kiswahili, Ngugi sought to challenge the dominance of colonial languages and promote a literary expression that is deeply rooted in the continent's own linguistic and cultural heritage. This stance reflected his broader commitment to addressing the legacy of colonialism, which he believed remained ingrained even in ostensibly decolonized societies.12