Award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has accused Lagos-based Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital of attempting to conceal the circumstances surrounding the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi Adichie-Esege, following a medical procedure earlier this year.
The acclaimed novelist made the allegations in a letter addressed to the chairman of the hospital’s board and later published on her Facebook page. She said she decided to make the matter public because remaining silent would amount to enabling wrongdoing.
In the letter, dated April 16, 2026, Adichie provided a detailed account of events surrounding the death of her son, one of her twin boys, who died on January 7 after complications allegedly linked to sedation administered during medical tests at the hospital.
According to Adichie, the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr. Tosin Majekodunmi, visited her family a day after the incident and acknowledged that the anaesthesiologist involved in the procedure had failed to meet the expected standard of care.
She alleged that Majekodunmi admitted that an excessive dose of propofol, a sedative commonly used during medical procedures, had been administered to the child and accepted responsibility for the events that followed.
Adichie claimed that the medical director assured the family that disciplinary action would be taken against the doctor involved and indicated that the anaesthesiologist would be dismissed. However, she said communication from him ceased shortly afterward and that the hospital’s management subsequently assumed control of the matter.
The controversy intensified after the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) suspended the anaesthesiologist, Dr. Titus Ogundare, alongside Dr. Majekodunmi and Dr. Atinuke Uwajeh, Chief Medical Officer of Atlantis Pediatric Hospital, pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings.
The author further alleged that Euracare listed bacterial and fungal meningitis as the cause of death on her son’s death certificate, despite what she described as a lack of medical evidence to support that conclusion.
She maintained that her son was alert, responsive and in stable condition when he arrived at the hospital for diagnostic tests and that his condition deteriorated only after sedation was administered for an MRI procedure.
Adichie argued that the death certificate should accurately reflect what she believes was the sequence of events leading to her son’s death, including improper sedation, hypoxic brain injury and cardiac arrest.
The novelist also alleged that a senior individual associated with the hospital’s ownership attempted to discourage her from pursuing legal action through a message relayed by a relative. According to her, the communication suggested that damaging allegations could emerge during court proceedings.
Describing the message as manipulative and implicitly threatening, Adichie insisted that her family would not be deterred in its pursuit of justice.
She also questioned the hospital’s handling of the ongoing coroner’s inquest, noting that Euracare had initially requested the inquiry amid public concerns over possible medical negligence but later adopted actions she claimed were aimed at delaying proceedings.
According to Adichie, efforts by her family to obtain her son’s medical records were met with resistance. She said the hospital declined a formal request by her lawyers, arguing that it did not meet certain legal requirements.
The author described the hospital’s response as obstructive and questioned why an institution genuinely interested in establishing the truth would oppose access to relevant medical records or resist an independent investigation.
The dispute has since moved to the courts. On May 26, the Lagos State High Court granted Euracare leave to challenge the jurisdiction of the Coroner’s Court and ordered a stay of proceedings pending the determination of a judicial review application filed by the hospital.
Following the ruling, the Coroner’s Court adjourned the matter until October 8, 2026.
However, the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, along with the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, has filed a preliminary objection urging the High Court to dismiss the hospital’s application. They reportedly argued that the suit is premature, incompetent and constitutes an abuse of court process.
As of the time of reporting, Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital had not issued an official response to the allegations contained in Adichie’s public statement.
The case has drawn significant public attention, with many Nigerians closely following developments as the family seeks answers and accountability over the circumstances surrounding the death of the young child.
