The coroner’s inquest into the death of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 21-month-old son has been plunged into uncertainty after it emerged that the child was cremated, leaving the court without primary forensic evidence.
Nkanu Nnamdi Esege died on January 7, 2026, following complications during preparatory medical procedures. The tragedy prompted the author to serve a legal notice on the hospital, alleging medical negligence and professional misconduct.
At a preliminary sitting at the Yaba Magistrate Court, Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji fixed April 14, 2026, for the commencement of the inquest. The proceeding was initiated at the request of the Lagos State attorney-general.
Counsel appearances were led by Kemi Pinheiro for the family, Adebola Rahman for the Lagos attorney-general, and Cheluchi Onyemelukwe for Atlantis Hospital, which referred the case to Euracare. Euracare also had separate legal representation.
Adetunji stressed that the court’s central objective is to determine the cause of death. However, proceedings hit a major hurdle when it was disclosed that the child had been cremated.
“In coroner proceedings, an autopsy is typically the starting point,” the court noted. The magistrate had earlier emphasised that every inquest begins with an autopsy report to establish professional findings.
Lawyers acknowledged that the absence of the body may make it difficult to reach definitive conclusions.
Adichie’s counsel urged the court to proceed, outlining plans to present evidence of alleged gross medical negligence, possible overdose, wrongful prescription, improper administration of propofol and wrongful diagnosis.
Five independent medical experts are expected to testify, alongside the child’s father, who is also a doctor. The family has also asked the court to compel the hospital to preserve CCTV footage, medical records, pharmacy logs, equipment data and internal reports.
The magistrate ruled that Euracare will present its case first, followed by the family and then Atlantis.
However, court findings seen by TheCable show that the cremation has raised serious procedural and evidentiary concerns. Without an autopsy report, the inquest may rely heavily on hospital documentation and expert testimony, potentially reducing proceedings to competing medical opinions.
The document described the cremation as a “substantial” issue, warning that the absence of foundational forensic evidence could affect the integrity and precedent-setting value of the inquiry.
With the Lagos State Government describing the case as one of wider societal concern, the question remains whether the Chimamanda Adichie son inquest can conclusively determine what caused the toddler’s death.
