Chimamanda Adichie Says Sons Death Changed How She Feels About Nigeria

(Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Photo Credit: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says her feelings toward Nigeria have changed following the d£ath of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, in December 2025.

In an interview with The New York Times, Adichie said she no longer wants to return to Nigeria after losing her child.

The boy was one of her twin sons and d!ed after a medical emergency at a hospital there.

He had developed a fever and was being treated with antibiotics when his condition worsened.

His parents took him to Euracare hospital for further examination.

During an MRI scan, Nkanu was sedated with propofol and then suffered cardiac arrest. He d!ed the following day.

A doctor later told Adichie that the child had been given too much propofol, a statement she said she would never forget.

In June, Adichie publicly raised allegations of medical negligence in relation to her son's treatment.

A coroner's inquest into his d£ath is now underway, though it has been marked by delays and disagreements between the family and the hospital.

The hospital has accused Adichie and her husband of destroying evidence by cremating their son's remains, a claim tied to the ongoing proceedings.

The family has not filed a lawsuit but has called for improvements in Nigeria's healthcare system.

Adichie said her children are the only reason she might consider returning to Nigeria.

Her daughter still sees the country as her happy place.

Before her son's d£ath, Nigeria was deeply connected to Adichie's identity and writing.

She credited the country with giving her everything that made her a writer.

But the loss has changed that connection.

She said the situation still feels surreal and she struggles to believe they are discussing her son's d£ath.