The Lagos State High Court has temporarily halted the coroner’s inquest into the death of Nkanu Adichie-Esege, the son of author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Ivara Esege.
Justice A. O. Opesanwo issued the order on Monday after Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited filed an application. This company runs Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Victoria Island, where the child reportedly passed away on January 7.
A legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Taiwo Osipitan, argued the case in court.
Eurapharma sought permission from the court to begin a judicial review. They challenged several decisions made by the Lagos Coroner’s District Court, which is led by Senior Magistrate A. A. Adetunji.
Documents from the court show that Eurapharma Care Services claimed the coroner court acted improperly by continuing the inquest. They said the deceased's body was cremated before the inquest started, making a post-mortem examination impossible.
The hospital also disagreed with the coroner’s court directions that required them to present their defense and call witnesses first. This was despite allegations of medical negligence made by the child's parents.
In its motion, Eurapharma Care Services sought several remedies, including orders to quash rulings made by the coroner court on January 21, February 25, and April 14, 2026.
They also wanted the court to stop the coroner’s court from continuing the inquest, arguing that it would violate due process and exceed jurisdiction.
In a ruling on the application, Justice Opesanwo said the issues raised were significant enough for judicial review.
"The Court is satisfied that the Applicant has met the threshold for the grant of leave. The application is not frivolous or vexatious. It raises issues of procedure and fairness that ought to be ventilated at the substantive stage," the judge stated.
The court granted permission for judicial review and ordered that this leave would serve as a stay on all further proceedings before the coroner’s court until the main case is resolved.
Eurapharma Care Services must file its main judicial review documents within 14 days of the ruling and serve all respondents involved in the case.
The case has been postponed to June 9 for further hearing.
The respondents in the suit include Senior Magistrate A. A. Adetunji; the Chief Coroner of Lagos State; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State; Dr Ivara Esege; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; and Atlantis Pediatric Hospital Limited.
Each respondent is either involved in the coroner proceedings or connected to the medical treatment and investigation surrounding the death of Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege.
The Lagos State Government started the coroner’s inquest after the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Adichie-Esege on January 7, following treatment at Atlantis Pediatric Hospital.
The child was later referred to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos, where he passed away. At the same time, plans were being made for medical evacuation to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.
Chimamanda Adichie and her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, have claimed that the death was due to medical negligence. This includes issues related to sedation procedures, monitoring lapses, and delays in emergency response during treatment.
Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, however, denies any wrongdoing and insists that its medical staff acted correctly during the treatment.
Earlier, Premium Times reported that the coroner’s inquest had been suspended after a directive from the Lagos State Attorney-General, Lawal Pedro.
In March, the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel suspended Euracare’s medical director and two doctors after finding evidence of medical negligence. The legal and disciplinary processes related to this case are still ongoing.
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