Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has released a heart-wrenching statement detailing the circumstances surrounding the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, which she alleges resulted from medical negligence at a Lagos hospital.
Adichie’s media team confirmed that the statement was written by the author herself and initially shared with close family and friends before it became public. The family was in Lagos for the Christmas holidays when Nkanu developed what initially seemed like a minor cold, which rapidly escalated into a serious infection.
According to Adichie, Nkanu was admitted to Atlantis Hospital, where plans were made for him to be flown to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for advanced treatment the following day. As part of the preparations, doctors requested several procedures, including a lumbar puncture, an MRI scan, and the insertion of a central line for intravenous medications. Atlantis Hospital then referred the family to Euracare Hospital, deemed the best facility for these procedures.
On the morning of January 6, 2026, Adichie and her husband took Nkanu to Euracare, where he was to be sedated for the MRI and central line insertion. While waiting outside the operating theater, Adichie noticed unusual activity, with medical staff rushing into the room.
“Immediately, I knew something had happened,” she recounted. It was later revealed that Nkanu had been administered an excessive dose of propofol by the anesthesiologist, leading to him becoming unresponsive. Though she was informed he had been resuscitated, Nkanu was subsequently placed on a ventilator and moved to the Intensive Care Unit.
Adichie described the rapid deterioration of her son’s condition, stating, “The next thing I heard was that he had seizures. Cardiac arrest. All these had never happened before.” Tragically, Nkanu died just hours later.
In her statement, Adichie alleged that proper monitoring was not conducted after Nkanu was sedated and criticized the anesthesiologist for carrying him into the theater without adequate supervision. “How can you sedate a sick child and neglect to monitor him?” she questioned.
She further accused the anesthesiologist of switching off Nkanu’s oxygen after the central line procedure and moving him to the ICU without following established medical protocols. Describing the incident as “criminal negligence,” Adichie expressed her outrage, stating, “We brought in a child who was unwell but stable… And suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever.”
Adichie also revealed that the family had learned of at least two other cases involving the same anesthesiologist, where children were allegedly overdosed. She raised serious concerns about why he was allowed to continue practicing. “Why did Euracare allow him to keep working?” she asked emphatically. “This must never happen to another child.”
As of this report, Euracare Hospital has not publicly responded to the allegations made by Adichie. The tragic loss of Nkanu has sparked widespread concern and calls for accountability in the medical community.
