For years, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been the world’s most prominent voice on the Nigerian experience, her prose celebrated for its precision and emotional depth.
But this week, the author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun turned her pen toward a private tragedy, releasing a searing statement that alleges medical negligence led to the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu.
The statement, which Adichie’s media team confirmed was originally intended for family and close friends, provides a harrowing account of a routine medical transfer that turned fatal at a Lagos hospital on Jan. 6.
A Journey for Care
According to Ms. Adichie, the family had been in Lagos for the Christmas holidays when Nkanu developed what initially appeared to be a cold. The illness escalated into a serious infection, leading to his admission at Atlantis Hospital.
Plans were swiftly made to fly the toddler to the United States on Jan. 7, where a specialized team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was prepared to receive him.
To facilitate the journey, doctors requested an MRI, a lumbar puncture, and the insertion of a “central line” for intravenous medication.
For these procedures, the family was referred to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, an institution often cited as one of the premier private healthcare facilities in Nigeria.
‘Fatally Casual’
The heart of Ms. Adichie’s account centers on the administration of propofol, a potent sedative. She alleges that the anesthesiologist at Euracare administered an overdose and failed to monitor the child during and after the procedure.
“My son would be alive today if not for an incident at Euracare Hospital,” Ms. Adichie wrote. “He was to travel to the U.S. the next day… We brought in a child who was unwell but stable. And suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever.”
The author describes a scene of “criminally negligent” conduct, claiming the anesthesiologist carried the sedated child on his shoulder rather than using a gurney with monitoring equipment.
She alleges that after the child became unresponsive and was resuscitated, the physician again “casually switched off Nkanu’s oxygen” while transporting him to the Intensive Care Unit.
“How can you sedate a sick child and neglect to monitor him?” she asked. “He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child.“
A Systemic Failure?
The tragedy has reignited a fierce debate regarding medical accountability in Nigeria.
While the country’s private hospitals often serve the elite and the diaspora, critics argue that even high-cost facilities frequently lack the rigorous oversight found in the West.
Ms. Adichie’s statement suggests that this may not have been an isolated incident involving the physician in question. “We have now heard about two previous cases of this same anesthesiologist overdosing children,” she wrote. “Why did Euracare allow him to keep working?”
Euracare Hospital, in a statement issued to Nigeria-based outlet TheCable, expressed sympathy to Adichie and her family, describing the loss as “profound and unimaginable,” while insisting that some reports about the incident contained inaccuracies.
The hospital said care was provided in line with international medical standards, with collaboration from external medical teams recommended by the family.
Euracare confirmed that a detailed internal investigation has begun and stated its commitment to transparency, patient safety, and due process, while respecting the family’s privacy.
This article was edited with AI and reviewed by human editors
