Court rejects hospital’s bid to halt inquest into death of Chimamanda Adichie’s son

A Nigerian hospital's attempt to halt an inquest into the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Esege, son of acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has been rejected by a court. The inquest will now proceed as authorities aim to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the child's demise. The application to halt the inquest was filed by Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited, the operators of Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, where Nkanu passed away on January 7, 2026.

In her judgment on October 12, 2026, Justice Aishat Opesanwo of the Lagos State High Court stated that the absence of Nkanu's body following cremation did not hinder the coroner's court from conducting the inquest. The hospital had contended that proceeding without the body could result in unfounded conclusions during the examination. Additionally, they challenged the method of receiving evidence from medical personnel and other witnesses.

However, the judge clarified that a coroner's inquest is a fact-finding process to establish the circumstances of a death, unlike a criminal or civil trial aimed at assigning blame or punishing individuals. The court's decision is expected to enable the inquest into Nkanu's death to proceed, with the objective of determining the specific circumstances surrounding the tragic event.