Taban lo Liyong
Taban lo Liyong is a prominent South Sudanese writer and academic known for his contributions to literature and his advocacy for African literature. He gained recognition for his work in the 1970s, particularly for co-authoring a famous letter that called for a shift in the teaching of literature in Africa, demanding that African culture and languages be the foundation of literary studies. His literary and critical works have played a significant role in shaping the discourse around postcolonial African literature.
Not in the pool (under ¢1).
Recent news mentions
The series so profoundly shaped the African literary worldview that it arguably laid the foundation for Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Awuor Anyumba and my friend Taban lo Liyong to anchor the Africanisation of literature studies at the University of Nairobi in the 1980s.
Celebrating the great tradition set by African Writers Series
Kenya· 2026-01-31
Sudanese poet and literary scholar Taban lo Liyong is one of the earliest and most virulent African critics of the consumerist world we live in today.
Cyborgs, advertising men and how poets could buy FerrarisKenya· 2025-09-06
Taban lo Liyong co-authored a significant letter with Ngugi wa Thiong'o advocating for African literature.
Stefan Helgesson: Vem ska jag gräla med nu när Ngugi wa Thiong'o inte längre är bland oss?
Sweden· 2025-06-28
