• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has revealed the tragic death of her son, Nkanu, following a medical procedure at a Lagos hospital.
• The family alleges gross medical negligence, claiming improper sedation and lack of monitoring led to seizures and cardiac arrest.
• The incident has reignited concerns about patient safety and accountability in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Esteemed Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has shared a poignant statement revealing the tragic circumstances surrounding the passing of her son, Nkanu, after undergoing a medical procedure at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.

The statement explains that although Nkanu had been unwell, his condition was stable, and plans were in place to fly him to the United States the next day for specialized treatment. A team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was reportedly set to care for him. As part of the travel preparation, Nigerian doctors recommended several standard procedures, including an MRI, a lumbar puncture, and the insertion of a central line for administering intravenous medication.

Adichie mentioned that the family was directed from Atlantis Hospital to Euracare, deemed the best facility for these medical interventions. On the morning of January 6, Nkanu was brought to Euracare, cradled in his father’s arms. The family was told that sedation was necessary to ensure the child remained still during the procedures.

The ensuing events, according to Adichie’s statement, were tragically catastrophic. Nkanu was allegedly administered propofol but was not sufficiently monitored or supervised thereafter. He subsequently experienced seizures and suffered cardiac arrest. Tragically, within a few hours, he was declared deceased.

What followed, according to the statement, was a devastating sequence of events. Nkanu was reportedly given propofol, after which he was neither adequately monitored nor properly supervised. He later suffered seizures and went into cardiac arrest. Within hours, the child was pronounced dead.

“It turns out that Nkanu was NEVER monitored after being given too much propofol,” the statement alleged, adding that no one could determine the exact moment he became unresponsive.

The family further accused the attending anesthesiologist of gross negligence, alleging that proper medical protocols were not followed and that critical safety measures, including oxygen monitoring, were ignored.

“The anesthesiologist was CRIMINALLY negligent. He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child. No proper protocol was followed,” the statement read.

In her emotional words, Adichie captured the depth of the family’s grief:

“We brought in a child who was unwell but stable and scheduled to travel the next day. We came to carry out basic procedures, and suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever. I will never survive the loss of my child.”

The family also claimed to have since learned of previous allegations involving the same anesthesiologist and called for accountability, transparency, and a full investigation into the incident.