After her young son died following a serious illness in a hospital in Nigeria last week, award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s family is accusing the facility of negligence.
Nkanu Nnamdi, the 48-year-old author’s 21-month-old son, died on Wednesday, Jan. 7, after what the family now claims was a series of potential missteps by the medical team at Euracare Hospital in Lagos overseeing his care, BBC News reported.
According to the outlet, Adichie’s sister-in-law, Dr. Anthea Nwandu, told local media Saturday that the family was informed Nkanu “received too much sedation,” causing him to suffer cardiac arrest. Dr. Nwandu further alleged that medical staff left the child unattended, denied him oxygen, and transported him in a manner “not according to standard practice,” ultimately leading to a brain injury.
In response to the allegations, Euracare Hospital officials acknowledged the “profound and unimaginable loss,” while also pushing back against the claims, stating that “reports currently being circulated contain inaccuracies.”
The hospital has said the boy arrived gravely ill and received care consistent with international hospital standards. However, less than 24 hours later, he died.
“In the course of his care, we worked collaboratively with external medical teams as recommended by his family and ensured that all necessary clinical support was provided,” the statement continued.
A detailed investigation into the matter is underway.
Similar allegations also appeared in a WhatsApp message by Adichie that leaked over the weekend, the Guardian reported. Her spokeswoman, Omawumi Ogbe, confirmed the authenticity of the email but told BBC News it was originally shared with close family and friends and “was not for public consumption.”
According to the spokeswoman, the family is “saddened” that the extremely personal and detailed correspondence made it to social media but “hope that the substance of that message, detailing the gross medical negligence that led to this tragedy, remains the central focus even as we look forward to the truth and accountability.”
Adichie—whose groundbreaking works include “Americanah,” “Half of a Yellow Sun,” and “Purple Hibiscus”—and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, who share a daughter born in 2016, welcomed Nkanu and his twin brother via surrogate in 2024. His death comes less than five years after the author lost both of her parents, James Nwoye and Grace Ifeoma Adichie, within a year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As initial news of Nkanu’s death emerged last week, as reported by theGrio, Ogbe released a statement confirming the tragedy and requesting privacy.
“The family is devastated by this profound loss, and we request that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement said. “We ask for your grace and prayers as they mourn in private.”