Court pauses inquest into Nkanu Adichie-Esege's death for review

A High Court in Lagos has ordered a temporary stop to the coroner’s inquest into the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi Esege. This pause is to allow a judicial review of how the inquest started and was carried out.

The main issue is whether the coroner’s court had the legal right to continue its investigation in this case.

One important point to check during the review is whether the coroner’s court correctly took charge of the case. Nkanu’s body was already cremated before the inquest began. There are also questions about the lack of a post-mortem examination. Some people believe this is a key step to figuring out the cause of death in such cases.

Nkanu Adichie-Esege was the young son of popular author Chimamanda Adichie and Dr. Ivara Esege. He died in January 2026. His death led to calls for an official investigation, which opened a coroner’s inquest at the Yaba Magistrate Court in February 2026.

Since the inquest started, there have been many delays and disagreements about the process. The inquest first met on 25 February, then reconvened on 14 April and had a short session on 5 May. It was then put on hold while the Lagos State Attorney-General and the legal teams discussed the case.

The Lagos High Court, in allowing the review, mentioned that the application raised important issues about fairness and process that need more attention. The court also said that all activities in the coroner’s court should stay on hold until the main application is reviewed and decided.

The applicant has 14 days to submit the main application. The case is set to return to court on 8 June 2026.

For now, the coroner’s inquest is on pause while the High Court looks into whether the steps taken so far follow the law. The result of the judicial review could affect not just this inquest but also how similar cases are dealt with in the future.