Reports are emerging that Kenya’s most celebrated writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o is suffering in USA.The icon is facing rejection from his family ,his health is deteriorating, his wife divorced him,all those compounded problems have forced him to be confined in the house with the help of caregivers.
The Guardian recently published a heart-wrenching story following an interview conducted by Carey Baraka during a visit to Ngũgĩ in the United States.
According to the article, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o is currently dependent on caregivers for his daily needs.
“We were interrupted by the doorbell. Two people came in: they were there to do his cleaning, cooking and shopping. In a few hours, he told me, a health aide would come to check his vitals,” Baraka wrote in the Guardian story.
In 1995, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, defying expectations by surviving beyond the initial prognosis of three months.
He also underwent triple bypass heart surgery in December 2019, followed by the onset of kidney failure, the same condition that claimed the life of one of his brothers.
The Guardian report paints a picture of a frail Ngũgĩ, confined to his home, with the exception of his thrice-weekly dialysis appointments.
Additionally, Ngũgĩ opened up about his divorce, indicating that he may appear single but is no longer married.
He and his wife resided in University Hills, a neighborhood near the beach often populated by university faculty. Ngũgĩ found solace in driving out to admire the Pacific Ocean, a routine that even inspired his most recent book, “The Perfect Nine.” However, circumstances led to their separation, leaving Ngũgĩ feeling bereft of the familiar surroundings he once called home.
