Acclaimed Nigerian-American author Chimamanda Adichie is the latest victim of the local parlance, “Nigeria will not happen to you,” following the ‘avoidable’ loss of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi Esege, at a Lagos hospital.

Chimamanda accused the hospital, Euracare Hospital, of negligence. According to her statement, the anaesthetist was negligent and gave her son too much propofol, a fast-acting sedative and anaesthetic medicine that doctors use toput people to sleep for surgery.

What Chimamanda Said Happened

In a deeply emotional statement, Chimamanda Adichie recounted the events leading up to Nkanu’s death.

According to her account, on the morning of January 6, the family left Atlantis Pediatric Hospital for Euracare Hospital. Nkanu was carried in his father’s arms and was scheduled for an MRI scan and a central line procedure. 

The medical team informed the parents that sedation would be required to prevent movement during the procedures.

Chimamanda said she waited just outside the theatre when she noticed unusual urgency. Medical personnel, including a doctor she identified as Dr. M, rushed into the theatre. At that moment, she immediately sensed something had gone wrong.

Shortly after, Dr. M reportedly informed her that the anaesthesiologist had administered an excessive dose of propofol, causing Nkanu to become unresponsive. Although he was initially resuscitated, the situation rapidly deteriorated.

Her son was placed on a ventilator, intubated, and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. She was later informed that he had suffered seizures and subsequently went into cardiac arrest.

Chimamanda stated that these medical complications had never occurred prior to the procedure. A few hours later, Nkanu passed away.

Euracare Hospital Responds

Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital denied any wrongdoing in its official response. The hospital claimed that the child arrived in a critical condition and that all procedures carried out were within standard medical practice.

However, this account has been challenged by members of the family, including the child’s aunt, a U.S.-certified physician. She raised concerns about several alleged lapses, including the absence of continuous oxygen monitoring during critical periods.

Following widespread public concern, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, ordered a formal probe into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.

Chimamanda Takes Legal Action

In a detailed legal notice dated January 10, 2026, solicitors representing Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her partner, Dr. Ivara Esege, formally accused Euracare Hospital, its anaesthesiologist, and other attending medical personnel of breaching their duty of care.

The notice stated that Master Nkanu Adichie‑Esege, born on March 25, 2024, was referred to Euracare Hospital from Atlantis Paediatric Hospital on January 6, 2026. The referral was for diagnostic and preparatory procedures ahead of an urgent medical evacuation to the United States, where a specialist team was reportedly on standby.

Planned procedures included an echocardiogram, a brain MRI, insertion of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line), and a lumbar puncture. Intravenous sedation using propofol was administered.

According to the legal notice, the child developed sudden and severe complications while being transported to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory after the MRI.

The parents allege that despite being under deep sedation, he was transferred between clinical areas in a manner that raised serious concerns about adherence to patient‑safety protocols.

Nkanu was pronounced dead in the early hours of January 7, 2026.

Alleged Lapses Highlighted in the Legal Notice

The legal team, led by Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, outlined multiple alleged failures in paediatric anaesthetic and procedural care, including:

• Questionable cumulative dosing of propofol in a critically ill child
• Inadequate airway protection during deep sedation
• Failure to ensure continuous physiological monitoring
• Transfer of the child without supplemental oxygen
• Insufficient medical personnel accompanying the patient during transfers
• Delayed recognition and management of respiratory and cardiovascular distress
• Lack of readily available basic resuscitation equipment

The notice also alleged that the parents were not adequately informed of the risks and potential side effects of propofol and other anaesthetic agents, raising concerns about the validity of informed consent.

The solicitors stated that these issues constitute prima facie breaches of duty of care, potentially rendering the hospital and the involved medical staff liable for medical negligence.

Demand for Medical Records and Evidence Preservation

As part of their next legal steps, the parents demanded certified copies of all medical records related to their son’s care within seven days of receiving the notice.

These records include admission notes, consent forms, pre‑anaesthetic assessments, anaesthetic charts, drug administration records, monitoring logs, procedural notes, nursing observations, ICU records, incident reports, and the identities of all medical staff involved.

They also requested internal reviews, MRI suite safety logs, and all other documentation connected to the child’s treatment.

Euracare Hospital was placed on formal notice to preserve all physical and electronic evidence, including CCTV footage, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy and drug inventory records, emergency equipment logs, internal communications, and any morbidity and mortality reviews.

The legal team warned that any destruction or alteration of evidence would constitute obstruction of justice and would be subject to serious legal consequences.

Family Pushes Back on Euracare’s Claims

Dr. Anthea Esege Nwandu, the child’s aunt, publicly disputed Euracare Hospital’s statement issued on January 10, 2026. Dr. Nwandu is a dual board‑certified internal medicine physician with over 30 years of clinical experience in Nigeria and the United States.

She described inconsistencies in the hospital’s account and challenged the assertion that the child arrived in a critically ill state.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie also reiterated her position, alleging gross negligence by the anaesthesiologist.

“The anaesthesiologist was criminally negligent. He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child. No proper protocol was followed,” she insisted.

Fixing the System

Beyond the tragedy of one family, this case has reignited national conversations around patient safety, accountability, informed consent, and standards of care within Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly in private, high‑end medical facilities often assumed to be above reproach.

As investigations and legal proceedings continue, many Nigerians are watching closely, hoping this case leads to transparency, justice, and systemic reform so that, truly, Nigeria does not “happen” to anyone again.