Renowned author Chimamanda Adichie has opened up about the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, and how it changed her feelings towards Nigeria.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Adichie said she no longer wants to return to the country.
“My feelings toward Nigeria have changed,” she said.
“I do not want to go back to Nigeria.”
It would be recalled that 21-month-old Nkanu Adichie-Esege, one of the twin boys born via surrogate in 2024, died on January 7, 2026, following a short illness.
The family alleges that after referral from another facility, complications arose at Euracare during procedures involving sedation for an MRI.
But the hospital denied wrongdoing, stating care met international standards and that the child arrived critically ill.
Recalling the incident, Adichie said a doctor approached her in a state of panic after the procedure.
“He was very calm and he said to me, ‘Well, look, they gave him too much Propofol.’ Those were his exact words, which I will never forget until the day I die,” she recalled.
READ ALSO: Lagos Court Halts Inquest into Death of Chimamanda Adichie’s Son
Adichie had earlier raised allegations of medical negligence concerning the treatment her son received at the hospital.
The circumstances surrounding Nkanu’s death have since become the subject of a coroner’s inquest in Lagos. The proceedings have faced delays and disagreements between the family and the hospital.
Adichie and her husband have called for improvements in Nigeria’s healthcare system but have not instituted a lawsuit against the hospital, according to the report.
Speaking about the possibility of returning to Nigeria, Adichie said her children could be the only reason she would consider doing so.
She said her daughter still regarded Nigeria as her “happy place”.
Before her son’s death, Adichie said Nigeria remained deeply connected to her identity and writing, describing it as the place where she received “everything” that enabled her to become a writer.
However, the loss of her son has altered that connection.
“I mean, it is so surreal, all of this. I still can’t believe we’re talking about my son who died,” she said.
“You’re going through something, but you also feel like you’re outside of it.”
