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Ngugi wa Thiong'o, the eminent Kenyan writer who is also Distinguished Professor of English and translation at the University of California at Irvine, was recently in Kenya. During his tour, the Professor visited schools in Eldoret, Kisumu and Nairobi, with a message that could be summarised in the words,'A Call for Freedom'.

He told the students that they should be proud of their own language and that the possession of one's own language is the beginning of freedom. He decried the fact that many Africans have been colonised in the mind through speaking foreign languages better than their own.

Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong'o fields questions from eager high school students in Kenya .

"All languages are equally important. But knowing English language does not diminish the importance of other languages. Those who know and speak their own language well have power. But those who know other languages well but little of their mother tongue are slaves,"he said.

The Professor encouraged students to develop a reading culture despite the threat from TV and radio. He answered questions from many students in Kisumu, Eldoret and Nairobi. Many of these students expressed their admiration for the Professor and their desire of being respected writers like him in future.

Walking the social responsibility talk: Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong'o (second right) donates copies of his latest book, Wizard of the Crow to Nairobi School . Looking on (extreme right) is Mr. Muriuki Njeru, the Managing Director of East African Educational Publishers.

Ngugi also passed this message to all upcoming writers and critics in Africa : READ, READ and READ. WRITE, WRITE and WRITE and you will get it RIGHT.

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