Heartbreak and outrage have gripped Lagos after the tragic death of Nkanu Nnamdi, the 21-month-old son of renowned author Chimamanda Adichie. The family has accused Euracare, a private hospital in the city, of shocking medical negligence and serious professional lapses that they say contributed to the child’s untimely death.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered an official investigation into the circumstances surrounding Nkanu’s death, responding to widespread public concern.
In a legal notice dated January 10, 2026, solicitors representing Adichie and her partner, Dr. Ivara Esege, claimed that the hospital, its anaesthesiologist, and other attending staff breached their duty of care to Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, who passed away in the early hours of January 7, 2026.
The notice stated that the child, born on March 25, 2024, had been referred to Euracare from Atlantis Pediatric Hospital on January 6, 2026, for diagnostic and preparatory procedures ahead of a planned medical evacuation to the United States. A specialist team abroad was reportedly on standby.
Procedures included an echocardiogram, brain MRI, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line), and a lumbar puncture, with sedation administered using propofol. However, the notice alleged that complications arose during transport to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory after the MRI. The child reportedly developed sudden and severe complications while being moved between clinical areas under conditions that raised “serious and substantive concerns” about patient-safety compliance.
He was later pronounced dead in the early hours of January 7.
The legal notice, issued “without prejudice” to the parents’ rights and signed by the law firm led by Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, detailed alleged lapses in paediatric anaesthetic and procedural care. These included concerns over propofol dosing, insufficient airway protection, lack of continuous monitoring, and transfers without supplemental oxygen or adequate medical personnel.
Additional grievances included allegedly inadequate resuscitation equipment, delayed recognition of respiratory or cardiovascular compromise, and general non-compliance with established paediatric safety protocols. The parents also claimed that the hospital failed to properly inform them about the risks associated with propofol and other anaesthetic agents, violating informed consent requirements.
The notice asserted that these alleged breaches constitute prima facie medical negligence and render the hospital and involved staff liable for Nkanu’s death.
As part of their legal actions, the parents demanded certified copies of all medical records related to their son’s treatment within seven days. Requests included admission notes, consent forms, anaesthetic charts, drug records, monitoring logs, procedural notes, ICU reports, and the identities of all staff involved. They also sought internal safety logs, MRI suite documentation, and any other materials linked to Nkanu’s care.
Euracare was formally instructed to preserve all relevant evidence, including CCTV footage, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy and equipment logs, internal communications, and morbidity and mortality reviews. The notice warned that destruction, alteration, or loss of evidence would be considered obstruction of justice, with legal consequences.
Failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe, the notice concluded, would compel the parents to pursue all available legal, regulatory, and judicial remedies against the hospital and medical personnel involved.
Dr. Anthea Esege Nwandu, aunt of Chimamanda Adichie’s late son, debunked Euracare Hospital’s January 10 statement. She challenged claims that proper protocols were followed, highlighting multiple alleged breaches in the child’s care. Nwandu emphasized that international paediatric standards were not met, including oxygen therapy, monitoring, and safe transfers. She called out what she described as significant inaccuracies in the hospital’s account.
