Chimamanda Adichie Seeks Dismissal of Hospital Suit Over Son’s Death Inquest

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Ivara Esege, have asked the Lagos State High Court to dismiss a legal action by Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital seeking to halt the coroner’s inquest into the death of their son, Nkanu Adichie-Esege.

The couple, through their lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kemi Pinheiro, argued that the hospital’s application for judicial review was premature because the coroner had not yet made any substantive finding that could be challenged before the High Court.

The arguments were heard on Monday before Justice A.O. Opesanwo, with the court reserving its ruling on the application until October 12, 2026.

Nkanu, one of Adichie’s twins, died on January 7, 2026, after complications during medical procedures at Euracare Hospital in Lagos. A coroner’s inquest was subsequently commenced to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.

The proceedings later became the subject of a separate legal challenge after it emerged that the child’s remains had been cremated. Euracare subsequently approached the High Court, questioning the coroner’s jurisdiction and seeking to prevent the continuation of the inquest.

Pinheiro told the court that the coroner’s proceedings were still at a preliminary stage and that no witness had testified or evidence been formally presented.

He argued that judicial review could not properly be used to overturn a decision that the coroner had not yet made. According to the family’s legal team, the hospital’s application was therefore premature because there was no substantive determination for the High Court to review.

The family also challenged the argument that the cremation of Nkanu’s remains prevented the coroner from proceeding. Pinheiro relied on provisions of the Lagos State Coroners’ System Law, arguing that the law allows an inquest to proceed in circumstances where a body has been destroyed or cannot be recovered.

The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, also urged the court to dismiss the hospital’s suit.
Counsel representing Atlantis Paediatric Hospital, Abiodun Layonu, SAN, and Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, similarly supported the objections seeking to allow the coroner’s proceedings to continue. They argued that issues surrounding the order in which evidence would be presented had already been addressed during earlier proceedings.

Euracare’s counsel, Professor Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, opposed the applications seeking dismissal of the hospital’s case.

Osipitan argued that the hospital should not be compelled to present its evidence first while the party alleging medical incompetence had not yet presented its own evidence. The hospital has also questioned whether the coroner can properly determine the circumstances and cause of death without the deceased’s body being available for examination.

The hospital’s legal challenge includes requests for judicial orders that would prevent the coroner from proceeding with aspects of the inquest.

The dispute has therefore placed two questions before the High Court: whether the hospital’s challenge was brought prematurely and whether the coroner can continue the investigation despite the cremation of Nkanu’s remains.

The High Court had earlier ordered a temporary halt to the coroner’s proceedings pending the determination of the judicial review application. The inquest was subsequently adjourned.

Adichie and Esege have maintained their effort to have the circumstances surrounding their son’s death examined through the coroner’s process, while Euracare has challenged the continuation of the proceedings and denied allegations of medical negligence.

Justice Opesanwo is expected to rule on the hospital’s application on October 12, 2026.

The decision will determine whether the legal challenge can proceed and could affect the next stage of the coroner’s inquest into Nkanu’s death.