Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie and her husband, Ivara Esege, have suffered the loss of one of their twin sons.
Nkanu Nnamdi, aged 21 months, passed away on Wednesday after a brief illness.
In a statement issued on Thursday by her representative, Omawumi Ogbe, the family expressed deep sorrow over the child’s death and appealed for privacy “during this difficult time”.
“We’re deeply saddened to confirm the passing of one of Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr Ivara Esege’s twin boys, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed on Wednesday, 7th of January 2026, after a brief illness. He was 21 months old,” the statement said.
“The family is devastated by this profound loss, and we request that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time.
“We ask for your grace and prayers as they mourn in private.
“No further statements will be made, and we thank the public and the media for respecting their need for seclusion during this period of immense grief.”
The 48-year-old writer married Esege, a Nigerian doctor, in 2009. Before Nkanu’s passing, the couple had three children—a daughter born in 2016 and twin boys born in 2024.
In a 2025 interview with The Guardian, Adichie explained that she chose to keep the birth of her twin sons private in order to “protect” them.
“I want to protect my children. I’m okay with having them mentioned, but I don’t want the piece to become about them,” she said.
“So, here is the thing, Nigerians are sosy. They want to know about your personal life. Because of that, I am resistant. I very rarely talk about it.”