BREAKING: Adichie Moves To Court Over Alleged Negligence In Son’s Death

Adichie Moves To Court Over Alleged Negligence In Son’s Death
Legal notice lists multiple safety and anaesthesia protocol violations
Parents demand records, evidence preservation, threaten legal action

Renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie, has demanded accountability from a private hospital in Lagos following the death of her 21 month old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, alleging medical negligence and serious professional lapses.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a detailed legal notice dated January 10, 2026, solicitors representing Adichie and her partner, Dr Ivara Esege, accused the hospital, its anaesthesiologist and attending medical staff of breaching the duty of care owed to their son, Master Nkanu Adichie Esege, who died in the early hours of January 7.

According to the notice, the child, born on March 25, 2024, was referred to the hospital on January 6 from Atlantis Pediatric Hospital for diagnostic and preparatory procedures. These included an echocardiogram, brain MRI, insertion of a PICC line and a lumbar puncture, ahead of a planned medical evacuation to the United States where a specialist team was reportedly on standby.

The legal notice, issued without prejudice to the parents’ rights and signed by the law firm led by Kemi Pinheiro SAN, stated that intravenous sedation using propofol was administered during the procedures.

However, complications allegedly developed while the child was being transferred to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory after the MRI. The parents claimed the transfer was carried out under conditions that raised serious concerns about adherence to patient safety protocols.

The notice outlined several alleged lapses, including concerns over propofol dosage, inadequate airway protection, failure to ensure continuous monitoring, transfer without supplemental oxygen or adequate medical support, and delayed response to respiratory or cardiovascular distress.

The parents also accused the hospital of failing to properly disclose the risks associated with propofol and other anaesthetic agents, thereby undermining informed consent.

They demanded certified copies of all medical records within seven days and instructed the hospital to preserve all evidence, including CCTV footage and electronic monitoring data. The solicitors warned that failure to comply would trigger legal, regulatory and judicial action.