Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has accused Euracare Hospital of medical negligence following the d3ath of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026
According to a statement confirmed by her media team to ARISE News, Adichie initially shared the message privately with family and close friends.
She detailed that her son was taken to Euracare Hospital on January 6 for an MRI scan and the insertion of a central line, procedures that required sedation. However, she said Nkanu was not properly monitored after receiving propofol, resulting in complications including unresponsiveness, seizures, and cardiac arrest.
Adichie stated, “My son would be alive today if not for an incident at Euracare Hospital on January 6th.” She explained that the family had been in Lagos for Christmas when Nkanu developed what they initially thought was a cold, which quickly escalated into a severe infection. He was admitted to Atlantis Hospital and was scheduled to travel to the United States the next day for further treatment, with a team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore awaiting him.
Atlantis Hospital referred the family to Euracare for the MRI and central line procedures, described as the best facility for such treatments. Adichie recounted waiting outside the theatre while her son underwent sedation and seeing hospital staff rush in, immediately realizing something had gone wrong. She said the anesthesiologist administered an excessive dose of propofol, leaving Nkanu unresponsive and requiring resuscitation.
“He was intubated and placed in the ICU. Soon after, he developed seizures and suffered cardiac arrest. Hours later, Nkanu was gone,” she said, describing the experience as a “living nightmare.”
Adichie alleged that Nkanu was not properly monitored after sedation and accused the anesthesiologist of criminal negligence, claiming proper protocols were not followed and criticizing the casual handling of her child during the procedures.
She also stated that the family later learned of two previous incidents involving the same anesthesiologist overdosing children, questioning why he was still allowed to practice at the hospital.
Euracare Hospital has not provided a detailed response. A spokesperson said: “Whatever information you need, you get it between us and Chimamanda. Thank you.”
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Hmmmnnn…. Not again!
My best friend also lost her live due to hospital negligence… She walked into the hospital by herself ( her sister drove her down to the hospital)… She was initially admitted at a hospital in Lekki where they currently live. After some days there, she asked her sister to take her to the hospital in Surulere – where she gave birth to her there kids.
She believed that the Surulere hospital being her family hospital for year, (before they built their Lekki house and moved) should be more reliable as they have all her medical records and history.
As they arrived at the Surulere hospital, she told her sister she wanted to eat moi moi and agidi… The sister drove off to get the food, by the time she returned to the hospital, her sister was already dead.
The hospital gave my friend the wrong blood group type! 😠😠