Ngugi Wa Thiong’o has over the years been a household name for his outstanding achievements as an author and activist.
The author is popularly known for his books Weep Not, A Grain of Wheat, The River Between, Petals of Blood, Caitaani Mutharaba-ini, Mũrogi wa Kagogo among others.
With his work being locally and Internationally recognized, the 82-year-old has received multiple honors, nominations, and awards in past events.
In a recent victory, Ngugi has emerged the winner of the Catalonia International Prize in the 31st edition after outshining 74 candidates from 35 different countries.
In a video that captured the awarding ceremony which was chaired by the President of Catalonia, Quim Torra, Ngugi gave his speech in Kikuyu language at his home a move that has left many Kenyans proud.
According to Ngugi, the award is indeed special and he recalls how the news brightened him up while in a hospital bed back in 2019 after heart surgery.
“Just before they took me to the operating room, I wrote a will. Hence, when I received the news that I had been feted, I felt alive again, like I was being celebrated in the land of the living, I was so happy that tears were balancing in my eyes,” he stated
The outstanding reason that saw Ngugi bag this award is his achievements in his literary works and being vocal in the advocacy for the preservation of African traditions, culture, and languages.
Apart from the Kenyan author, other renowned personalities who have received the award before include; Bishop Desmond Tutu, activist Malala Yousafzai, Egyptian feminist Nawal al Sa Dawy, Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, philosopher Karl Popper among others.
