Renowned Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has alleged medical negligence in the events leading to the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
ARISE News reported on Saturday that Adichie’s media team confirmed she authored a detailed statement outlining the incident. According to her representatives, the account was initially shared privately with family members and a small circle of close friends.
In the statement, Adichie claimed that her son was taken to Euracare Hospital for an MRI scan and the insertion of a central line. She said he was sedated for the procedures but was not adequately monitored after being given propofol, which allegedly led to complications such as loss of responsiveness, seizures, and eventual cardiac arrest.
She maintained that her son “would be alive today if not for an incident at Euracare Hospital on January 6th,” where he had been taken for medical procedures.
Adichie recounted that the family had travelled to Lagos for Christmas when her son developed what they initially believed was a minor cold, which later “turned into a very serious infection.”
“We were in Lagos for Christmas. Nkanu had what we first thought was just a cold, but soon turned into a very serious infection, and he was admitted to Atlantis Hospital,” she said.
She explained that Nkanu was scheduled to travel to the United States on January 7 with accompanying medical personnel, noting that a team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was prepared to receive him. According to her, the US-based doctors requested a lumbar puncture and an MRI scan.
Adichie said Atlantis Hospital referred them to Euracare Hospital, “which was said to be the best place to have the procedures done.”
“The Nigerian team had also decided to put in a ‘central line’ (used to administer IV medications) in preparation for Nkanu’s flight. The morning of the 6th, we left Atlantis Hospital for Euracare, Nkanu carried in his father’s arms,” she stated.
She said she was informed that sedation was necessary to prevent movement during the MRI and central line procedure, adding that she waited outside the theatre during the process.
“I saw people, including Dr M, rushing into the theatre and immediately knew something had happened,” she said.
Adichie further alleged that she was later told her son had been given an excessive dose of propofol by the anesthesiologist.
“A short time later, Dr M came out and told me Nkanu had been given too much propofol by the anesthesiologist, had become unresponsive and was quickly resuscitated,” she said.
She explained that her son was placed on a ventilator, intubated, and admitted to the intensive care unit, where he later developed seizures and suffered cardiac arrest.
“But suddenly, Nkanu was on a ventilator; he was intubated and placed in the ICU. The next thing I heard was that he had seizures. Cardiac arrest. All these had never happened before. Some hours later, Nkanu was gone,” she said.
Adichie alleged that her son was not properly monitored after sedation and described the anesthesiologist’s conduct as criminally negligent.
“It turns out that Nkanu was never monitored after being given too much propofol. The anesthesiologist had just casually carried Nkanu on his shoulder to the theatre, so nobody knows when exactly Nkanu became unresponsive,” she said.
She further alleged that after the central line procedure, the anesthesiologist switched off her son’s oxygen and carried him to the ICU without adequate care.
“The anesthesiologist was CRIMINALLY negligent. He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child. No proper protocol was followed,” she said.
According to Adichie, the family brought in “a child who was unwell but stable and scheduled to travel the next day” for what she described as “basic procedures,” but instead suffered an unimaginable loss.
“And suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever. It is like living your worst nightmare. I will never survive the loss of my child,” she said.
She also claimed the family later learned of previous cases involving the same anesthesiologist.
“We have now heard about two previous cases of this same anesthesiologist overdosing children. Why did Euracare allow him to keep working?” she asked, adding, “This must never happen to another child.”
When contacted for comment, Euracare Hospital responded briefly through a spokesperson: “Whatever information you need, you get it between us and Chimamanda. Thank you.”
According to reports, the 21-month-old died after a brief illness. Following the announcement, several prominent Nigerians, including President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former presidential candidate Peter Obi, publicly expressed condolences to Adichie and her family.