Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has said the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, has changed her feelings towards Nigeria, adding that she no longer wants to return to the country.
Adichie made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, where she spoke about her son’s death and its impact on her relationship with Nigeria.
“My feelings toward Nigeria have changed,” she said, adding, “I do not want to go back to Nigeria.”
Nkanu, one of Adichie’s twin sons, died on January 7, 2026, after suffering complications during medical procedures at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos.
According to Adichie, Nkanu developed a fever and was initially placed on antibiotics by her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege. When his condition did not improve, they took him for further medical assessment.
The child was later sedated with propofol for an MRI at Euracare, after which he suffered cardiac arrest. Adichie recalled a doctor telling her that Nkanu had been given “too much propofol.”
The circumstances surrounding his death are now the subject of a coroner’s inquest. The proceedings have faced delays after Euracare obtained a Lagos State High Court order temporarily suspending the inquest pending a judicial review. The hospital has also challenged the proceedings over the cremation of Nkanu’s remains.
Adichie and her husband have alleged medical negligence and called for greater accountability in Nigeria’s healthcare system, while Euracare has denied wrongdoing.
Reflecting on her relationship with Nigeria, Adichie said the country had previously been central to her identity and writing career.
However, she said Nkanu’s death had fundamentally changed that connection, adding that her children may be the only reason she would consider returning.
Leave feedback about this