Chimamanda Adichie Takes Legal Action over Son’s Death, Accuses Hospital of Negligence
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her partner initiated legal action against a Lagos hospital over the death of their 21-month-old son, alleging medical negligence
- The legal notice accused the hospital and attending medical personnel of breaching professional standards during sedation, transfer and monitoring procedures
- The parents demanded full medical records and warned the hospital against tampering with evidence amid plans to pursue further legal remedies
Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has taken legal action against a private hospital in Lagos following the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi.
They alleged medical negligence and professional impropriety in the course of his treatment.
Source: Twitter
Legal notice accuses hospital of negligence
In a legal notice sent on January 10, 2026, the solicitors representing Adichie and her partner, Dr. Ivara Esege, claimed that the hospital and its staff failed in their duty of care to their son, Master Nkanu Adichie Esege, who passed away in the early hours of January 7, 2026.
This “without prejudice” notice, signed on behalf of a law practice headed by Prof. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, asserted that the purported defaults were sufficient to constitute prima facie cases for breach of professional practice and that the hospital and medical staff might be liable for,
Child referred for procedures ahead of medical evacuation
The child, who was born on March 25, 2024, was referred on the January 6, 2026 from the ‘Atlantis Paediatric Hospital’ to the Lagos Hospital for diagnostic and preparation work before an impending evacuation was carried out to the United States, where a team of specialists was reportedly waiting.
These procedures consisted of an echocardiogram, a BRAIN MRI, PICC line placement and a lumbar puncture in which the administration of a propofol infusion for intravenous sedation occurred, according to Vanguard.
Serious concerns raised over patient transfer and monitoring
The solicitors asserted that during the transport of the child to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory following the MRI scan, the child suffered sudden and severe complications.
Even while sedated, he was reported to have moved through various clinical sectors in a manner which presented “serious and substantive concerns” about adherence to protocols for patient safety. He was pronounced dead early in the morning of January 7.
The notice specified several areas in which it was alleged that the patient was not properly taken care of, including issues regarding the appropriateness and dosage of Propofol administration.
Claims of inadequate oxygen, staffing and equipment
The parents also claimed that their son was transferred without supplemental oxygen, without proper monitoring, and without adequate medical personnel accompanying him.
They also voiced concern regarding the availability of basic resuscitation equipment, the recognition and management of compromised respiration or cardiovascular pathways, as well as the lack of compliance with pediatric anesthesia and patient transfer/safety protocols.
Among other complaints was that there had been insufficient pre-operative disclosure of the risks and side-effects of propofol and other anaesthetics, which was said to impact upon the requirement of informed consent.
Parents demand records and preservation of evidence
As the next legal action, Adichie and Esege sought the supply of official copies of all clinical documents pertaining to their son’s care within seven days of receiving the Notice, ThisDay reported.
The following are the documents that are sought:
- Admission sheets
- Consent sheets
- Pre-anaesthetic checks
- Anaesthesia charts
- Administration of anaesthetics data
- Monitoring data
- Procedural data
- Nursing observations data
- ICU data
This also includes internal reviews, the safety logs recorded in the MRI suite, or any other relevant documentation that is a part of the care the child has received, according to This Day.
Hospital warned over evidence tampering
The hospital has been formally placed on notice to preserve all relevant evidence, whether physical or electronic, including CCTV footage, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy records, emergency equipment logs, internal communications and any morbidity and mortality reviews.
Source: Twitter
The solicitors indicated that any destruction, alteration, or loss of evidence following the receipt of the notice was to be considered the suppression of evidence and obstruction of justice.
The letter concluded that in the event of failure to comply with the demands within the given timeframe, the parents would have no option but to explore all avenues of legal and judicial remedies against the hospital and all medical staff.
Lagos hospital speaks after Chimamanda’s son dies
Previously, Legit.ng reported that a Lagos-based medical facility, Euracare Multispecialist Hospital, has issued a public statement following the sudden death of the son of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, expressing deep sympathy while clarifying details surrounding the incident.
In the statement signed by its management, Euracare conveyed its “deepest sympathies” to Chimamanda Adichie and her family, describing the loss of a child as “beyond words”.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
