He won several awards during his distinguished career, and the BBC notes that in 2005 the U.S. journal Foreign Policy and the British journal Prospect listed Mazrui "as among the world's top 100 public intellectuals."

The BBC notes that Mazrui's body will be flown back to Kenya because he wished to be buried in his homeland. His final resting place will be in his birthplace, Mombasa, at the historical monument of Fort Jesus. Mazrui is survived by his wife and six children.

Read more at BBC News.