Chimamanda Adichie says she does not want returning to Nigeria after son’s death

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has expressed her decision not to return to Nigeria following the tragic death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu. In an interview with The New York Times, Adichie stated that the loss of her son has altered her feelings towards her home country. The author explained that Nkanu, one of her twin boys, had passed away in December 2025 due to a medical emergency at Euracare in Nigeria.

Adichie revealed that the infant initially experienced a fever and was administered antibiotics by her husband, Ivara Esege. When his condition did not improve, the couple took Nkanu to the hospital for further examination. During an MRI examination, Nkanu was sedated with propofol, after which he suffered cardiac arrest and died the following day.

Adichie recalled a doctor's panicked reaction upon discovering that the child had received an excessive amount of Propofol. The author had previously raised concerns about medical negligence regarding her son's treatment at the hospital, which is now under investigation by a coroner's inquest. Euracare has accused Adichie and her husband of destroying evidence by cremating their son's remains, a claim the family denies.

Adichie expressed that her children are the only reason she might consider returning to Nigeria, as her daughter still views Nigeria as her "happy place."