Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, has expressed sorrow over the death of Nkanu Nnamdi, the son of famed Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege.
Obi expressed his sympathies in a statement posted on his X account on Thursday, saying he had closely monitored the child’s sickness and shared the family’s hope for recovery.
“I have been following Nkanu’s illness since my beloved sister, Chimamanda, first informed me on January 2nd. During this difficult time, I felt a deep sense of empathy for her and her family,” Obi said.
He added, “I shared in their anxiety, prayed earnestly, and hoped for his recovery. Therefore, the news I received yesterday morning was profoundly heartbreaking.”
Chronicle NG reports that, according to a statement issued on Thursday by Omawumi Ogbe on behalf of the family, the 21-month-old baby passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after a brief illness.
According to the statement, the family is devastated by the loss and has requested privacy. “The family is devastated by the loss and requests that their privacy be respected during this difficult time,” according to the statement.
Obi expressed personal anguish, stating that the loss was particularly devastating for the child’s parents. “I am personally devastated, thinking of the immense pain my dear sister must be experiencing as a mother, along with her husband, Dr. Ivara,” he told me.
Obi concluded by offering prayers for the bereaved family, saying, “My heartfelt condolences go to them and the entire family during this moment of indescribable loss. May God grant them the strength, comfort, and grace to bear this sorrow, and may Nkanu’s saintly soul rest in perfect peace.”
