Alleged Medical Negligence: Coroner Suspends Hearing In Inquest Of Chimamanda’s Late son
The coroner sitting at the JIC Taylor Courthouse, Lagos Island, has suspended the hearing into the cause of death of 21-month-old Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of renowned author Chimamanda Adichie and Ivara Esege.
The coroner sitting at the JIC Taylor Courthouse, Lagos Island, has suspended the hearing into the cause of death of 21-month-old Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of renowned author Chimamanda Adichie and Ivara Esege.
The coroner, Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji, said she’s suspending the proceedings pending further directives from the chief coroner, Justice Mojisola Dada.
Before suspending the proceedings, however, Magistrate Adetunji queried the Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lawal Pedro, for stalling the proceedings of the day in her courtroom.
When the matter was called for hearing, Magistrate Adetunji was informed by a counsel, Adebola Araba, from the office of the Attorney General, that the AG had directed him to inform the court that the proceedings for Tuesday should be suspended until after his meeting with the parties in the matter.
Araba said, “I have been directed to inform the court that a meeting between the AG of Lagos State and all counsel appearing in this matter has been fixed for May 12, 2026.
“We urge the court to suspend the hearing of today and fix another hearing after the meeting with the AG,” Araba said.
Counsel to the parents of the deceased, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeyinka Aderemi, in his submission, told the court that he received a letter dated April 23, 2026, signed by an aide to the AG, Olamide Ibrahim, indicating that the meeting was fixed for 2 pm today.
He said, “I confirm that a letter, dated April 23, 2026, signed by one Olamide Ibrahim from the AG’s office, was served on us. However, the meeting was fixed for today by 2 pm; however, it was last night that it was changed to May 12, 2026, and we believed that the hearing would go on today, after which we would thereafter go for the meeting by 2 pm, especially as the parents are not going to be around because they are leaving by Friday.”
Magistrate Adetunji then queried why the AG’s office sent a letter to the parties without informing the court. The lawyer from the AG’s office, Araba, answered that he was not aware of the letter, and he was just instructed to inform the court about the meeting.
Counsel for Atlantis Paediatric Hospital, Abiodun Layanu (SAN), also confirmed receiving two letters from the AG’s office, one dated April 23 and another dated May 4, 2026.
He added that the parties will, however, follow the directives of the court.
Similarly, Counsel to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital and Nigeria, Taiwo Osiptan (SAN), confirmed receiving two letters dated April 23 and May 4, 2026, from the office of the AG and noted that the meeting has been rescheduled to May 12, 2026.
Counsel for Esege’s family, Aderemi, also complained to the court about the AG’s letter.
He said, “The letter has just truncated the hearing of today. The interest of the parents of the deceased is not being carried along. If the AG is sincere, he should be up and doing. If there is restorative justice, he should have called the meeting before now”.
“The father of the deceased is in court today and has sworn to a statement on oath. I thought the court would have heard it today.”
After listening to all the parties, Magistrate Adetunji gave her ruling suspending further proceedings in the inquest.
The inquest into Master Nkanu Nnamdi Esege’s death had commenced on February 25, 2026.
Master Nkanu was admitted to Euracare Hospital on January 6, 2026, after being referred from Atlantis Paediatric Hospital for urgent medical procedures.
The child was initially admitted to Atlantis Hospital in Lagos for what was described as a worsening but initially mild illness.
While arrangements were being made to transfer him to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States, Atlantis referred him to Euracare for pre-flight diagnostic procedures, including an MRI, lumbar puncture, and insertion of a central line.
However, the child passed away following the procedures.
He died in the early hours of January 7, 2026.
