Court postpones investigation into Chimamanda Adichie’s son’s death

The Coroner’s Court at the Igbosere Magistrate Court in Lagos Island has postponed further hearing in the investigation into the death of 21-month-old Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege. He is the son of famous author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr. Ivara Esege. The new date for the hearing is October 8, 2026.

Coroner Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji set this date on Wednesday. This came after Professor Taiwo Osipitan, the lawyer for Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, told the court that the Lagos State High Court ordered a stay of proceedings. This stay is pending a judicial review application filed by the hospital.

The inquest was supposed to start hearing before this latest development. Osipitan explained that Euracare had gone to the High Court to question the authority of the Coroner’s Court. They argued that the child’s body had allegedly been cremated before the inquest began.

He said the judicial review is to find out if the Coroner’s Court can legally continue with an inquest without the deceased's body. "The High Court granted leave for judicial review and also ordered that pending the determination of the substantive suit, proceedings before this Coroner’s Court should be stayed," Osipitan said.

He added that the High Court has postponed the matter to June 8, 2026. He asked the Coroner’s Court to pause its proceedings in line with this order. Adebola Araba, who represents the Lagos State Attorney-General’s Office, mentioned that he had not yet seen the enrolled order. But Osipitan insisted that the Attorney-General’s office had already received it.

Meanwhile, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), the lawyer for the deceased’s family, shared that they had filed four witness statements on oath. These statements were served to all parties involved. The witnesses include the child's father, Dr. Ivara Esege, medical experts Dr. Chinwe Ego from Arizona and another doctor from Minnesota in the United States, as well as Prof. Adekola from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

While acknowledging the High Court’s order, Pinheiro firmly stated that the inquest should eventually take place. "He who has nothing to hide should not fear an open inquest. An innocent man has nothing to fear. It is darkness that fears the light," he told the court.

Pinheiro also urged the coroner to postpone the matter until after the court vacation instead of delaying it indefinitely. Efe Ize-Iyamu, the lawyer for Atlantis Pediatric Hospital, confirmed that his client received the High Court order and the originating motion.

He supported Pinheiro’s stance, saying that while all parties must follow the stay order, responses had already been submitted. Osipitan responded by saying that the main issue before the High Court is whether the Coroner’s Court can take jurisdiction after the alleged cremation of the child’s body.

However, Pinheiro argued that inquests can still happen even if a body is not available. He said the family would show this during the proceedings. After listening to everyone, Magistrate Adetunji postponed the matter until October 8, 2026.