Court Stops Coroner’s Hearing over Adichie Son’s Death

A Lagos High Court sitting in Osborne, Ikoyi, has ordered a temporary suspension of the coroner’s inquest investigating the death of Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, the young son of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie and medical doctor Ivara Esege.

Justice A.O. Opesanwo issued the order following an ex parte application filed by Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited, operators of the Victoria Island hospital where the child reportedly died on January 7, 2026.

The hospital is seeking a judicial review of the ongoing coroner’s proceedings and has questioned whether the inquest should continue under the current circumstances. According to court documents, the medical facility argued that the coroner may lack jurisdiction to conduct the investigation because the child’s remains were allegedly cremated before the inquest commenced.

The hospital’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Taiwo Osipitan, also challenged a directive requiring the hospital to begin presenting its defence and witnesses before other issues had been fully addressed.

Listed as respondents in the suit are Senior Magistrate A.A. Adetunji, the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Ivara Esege, Chimamanda Adichie, and Atlantis Pediatric Hospital Limited.

In delivering the ruling, Justice Opesanwo stated that the application before the court raised important legal questions that deserved careful examination.

“The application is not frivolous or vexatious. It raises issues of procedure and fairness that ought to be ventilated at the substantive stage,” the court held.

All proceedings before the coroner have now been placed on hold pending further determination of the application. The court has granted Eurapharma Care Services 14 days to file its substantive judicial review application.

The matter has been adjourned until June 9, 2026.