Chimamanda Adichie Blasts Lagos Hospital Over Inquest Delay

Sun Jun 14 2026 17:41:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Author demands an urgent coronial investigation after her 21‑month‑old son died at Euracare Hospital, accusing the facility of obstruction and negligence.

Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has accused Euracare Hospital of obstructing the coroner’s inquiry into the death of her 21‑month‑old son, Nkanu, who passed away in January. The author claims the hospital deliberately delayed the inquest, citing a request to the Federal High Court to block the proceedings. A prior panel by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria cited possible medical negligence at the facility. In a letter shared on social media, Adichie criticises the hospital for incomplete and inaccurate medical records, alleging that the child was denied oxygen and given excessive sedation. The case has raised calls for stronger oversight of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Chimamanda Adichie Blasts Lagos Hospital Over Inquest Delay

Getty Images: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie speaking onstage.

The Nigerian author’s latest public statement comes after her 21‑month‑old son, Nkanu, died at Euracare Hospital in January 2026. The coroner’s inquest, initially scheduled for April, was reportedly stalled by the hospital according to Adichie.

Adichie accused Euracare of "stalling, muddling and obfuscating" the investigation and claimed the hospital sought to have the inquiry blocked by Nigeria's Federal High Court. The author presented an email letter sent to the hospital director in April, which she posted on her social media feed, marking her first public comment following her son’s death.

The hospital had previously received a panel review by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, which identified potential medical negligence. In its response, Euracare expressed "deepest sympathies" but denied any wrongdoing, asserting that care complied with international standards.

Adichie contested the hospital’s claim that her son died of bacterial meningitis, alleging no medical evidence supported that diagnosis on the death certificate. She also criticized the medical records released as incomplete and inaccurate, describing them as "strikingly unprofessional".

According to legal filings, Nkanu was initially admitted to Atlantic Hospital in Lagos with a mild but worsening illness. Plans were made to transfer him to the United States for treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore before he was sent to Euracare for a pre‑flight medical examination, which included MRI and lumbar puncture tests.

He passed away on 7 January after these diagnostic procedures. The tragedy has prompted discussions about systemic failures in Nigeria’s health sector.

Adichie, who lives in the United States but was in Nigeria for the Christmas holidays, has previously written critically acclaimed novels such as "Half of a Yellow Sun" and "Americanah". She has also hosted panels with figures including former US Vice‑President Kamala Harris and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

For further background on the case, see: Nigeria to hold inquest into death of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's toddler and Tragic death of Adichie's young son pushes Nigeria to act on health sector failings.