Nairobi, March 9 -- The final chapter in the life of celebrated publisher Henry Chakava ended at Nairobi Hospital on Friday.

He was admitted last week after being brought in from his retirement home in Vipingo Ridge.

Chakava has been mourned by publishers, writers and the academic world for his contribution to knowledge, publishing, literature and education locally and abroad.

He is credited with pioneering publishing African writers when the industry was dominated by foreign firms and editors.

He published Kenya's pre-eminent writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o, who was his lecturer at the University of Nairobi.

The man who ventured into publishing by accident ended up dominating the field and midwifing works by Chinua Achebe, Alex la Guma, Ta...