At a Glance
- Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie blames Euracare Hospital in Lagos for the Jan. 6 death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu.
- In a leaked WhatsApp message, she alleged “criminal negligence” including an overdose of propofol sedation and lack of monitoring.
- The hospital denies wrongdoing, saying the child arrived “critically ill” and calls the negligence claim “erroneous.”
Why it matters: The high-profile dispute spotlights concerns over medical accountability in Nigeria’s private health system.
Acclaimed novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has publicly accused Euracare Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, of causing the death of her toddler son, intensifying a controversy over alleged medical malpractice.
The Incident
Nkanu, one of Adichie’s twin boys, died on January 6 after developing an infection while the family vacationed in Lagos. The child had been scheduled for transfer to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore the following day, according to a report cited by News Of Losangeles.
Allegations of Negligence
A private WhatsApp chat shared with relatives and friends-later leaked-details Adichie’s account of the final hours. She wrote that physicians administered too much propofol, failed to monitor her son, and then moved him to intensive care only after seizures and cardiac arrests had begun.
> “Suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever. It’s like living your worst nightmare,” Adichie said in the message, confirmed by family spokesperson Omawumi Ogbe.
The author further alleged the anesthesiologist turned off Nkanu’s oxygen and carried the child to the ICU on his shoulder, actions she labeled “CRIMINALLY negligent.”
Hospital Response
Euracare Hospital pushed back, telling media outlets the boy arrived in critical condition and insisting that suggestions of negligence are “erroneous.” In a statement to the BBC, administrators said circulating reports contain “inaccuracies” and described the death as a “profound and unimaginable loss.”
Sophia A. Reynolds reported that News Of Losangeles requested additional comment from the facility but received none before publication.
Family Demands Accountability
Ogbe said the family has issued a legal notice to the hospital and will work with counsel to pursue institutional accountability. While lamenting the leak of such a “deeply personal account of grief,” she urged the public to focus on “the devastating clinical failures” outlined in Adichie’s message.
A Private Loss in the Public Eye
Adichie, whose 2014 TED Talk “We Should All Be Feminists” was sampled in Beyoncé’s hit “Flawless,” has long guarded her family’s privacy. She and husband Dr. Ivara Esege, a physician, also have a 9-year-old daughter and welcomed twins via surrogate in 2024.
Following Nkanu’s death, Ogbe asked for privacy, saying the family is “devastated by this profound loss” and requesting prayers while they mourn.
Key Takeaways
- Adichie’s allegations center on sedation dosage and monitoring lapses she believes led to fatal complications.
- The hospital contends the child was gravely ill on arrival, deflecting blame.
- Legal action has commenced, signaling a potential court battle over standards of care at elite Nigerian clinics.
