With which of these is Ngugi wa Thiong’o generally associated?

Correct option is B

Explanation:

Ngugi wa Thiong’o, the renowned Kenyan writer and academic, is most famously associated with the concept of "Decolonising the Mind," a term he coined to address the profound psychological effects of colonialism on the colonized. His influential work Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature (1986) is a powerful call to challenge the lingering colonial mentality that is embedded in African societies. Ngugi argues that language plays a central role in shaping thought and culture, and thus, the adoption of European languages in African societies has often led to the erosion of indigenous cultures and identities. He advocates for the use of native languages in literature, education, and politics as a way to reclaim cultural autonomy and resist colonial domination.


Information Booster:

Decolonising the Mind – Ngugi wa Thiong’o's seminal work Decolonising the Mind is a powerful critique of the ongoing effects of colonialism on African intellectual and cultural life.

• ​In this book, he discusses how colonial powers not only imposed their rule physically but also mentally, forcing colonized societies to internalize European languages, values, and belief systems.
  
• Ngugi argues that the use of indigenous languages in literature is an essential part of reclaiming one's cultural identity.
  
• His advocacy for the use of native languages in education and literature is part of his broader call for cultural and political liberation. 
• Ngugi's idea of decolonising the mind is not just about rejecting colonial languages, but also about critiquing and changing the power structures that reinforce colonial ideologies.
•  Through this lens, he encourages Africans to reconsider their education systems, media, and social structures that were designed under colonial influence and still perpetuate colonial thinking in contemporary times.
  
  
  

Ngugi wa Thiong’o – Ngugi is one of Africa's most influential writers and intellectuals. He has written a variety of works, including novels, essays, plays, and critical studies, that challenge the legacy of colonialism and advocate for cultural revival.

• He is best known for novels like Weep Not, Child (1964), A Grain of Wheat (1967), and Petals of Blood (1977), which highlight the struggles of African societies in the wake of colonialism and the pursuit of independence.
  
• Ngugi’s switch from writing in English to writing in his native Gikuyu language was a symbolic act of decolonization.
• He believed that African writers should write in their indigenous languages to reconnect with their cultural heritage.
  
• One of the central themes in Ngugi’s work is how colonialism impacted the African mind through the imposition of European languages.
• He critiques the elitism of African elites who continue to value European languages like English, French, and Portuguese over their own indigenous tongues.
  
• For Ngugi, colonialism didn’t end with political independence; it continued in the psyche of the people who remained conditioned to European languages and cultural norms.
  
• Decolonising the mind, for Ngugi, is a process of undoing the cultural brainwashing that came with the colonization of Africa and embracing indigenous African languages and cultures.
  
• Decolonising Other Aspects – While Ngugi is most closely associated with decolonising the mind, he has also written about other facets of decolonization, including the decolonisation of the state, polity, and body.
  
• In his later work, Ngugi examines how African political systems often retain colonial structures after independence. He critiques African leaders who perpetuate the exploitation of the masses even after political freedom is achieved.
  However, his focus remains firmly on the cultural and mental aspects of decolonization, particularly through language and literature.