Take away our language and we will forget who we are: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and the language of conquest
Take away our language and we will forget who we are: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and the language of conquest  
Podcast: The Audio Long Read
Rating: Explicit Published On: Fri Oct 10 2025
Description: The late Kenyan novelist and activist believed erasing language was the most lasting weapon of oppression. Here, Aminatta Forna recalls the man and introduces his essay on decolonisation By Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o with introduction by Aminatta Forna. Read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and Aminatta Forna. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod