Adichie Son’s Inquest: Court Adjourns Judicial Review To September
The Lagos State High Court at Osborne Foreshore on Monday adjourned until September 28, 2026, the hearing of a judicial review application challenging the Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Master Nkanu Nnamdi Adichie-Esege, the 21-month-old son of renowned author Chimamanda Adichie and Dr. Ivara Esege.
Justice Aishat Opesanwo fixed the date after counsel to the applicant, Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited, said several respondents had recently served processes on the applicant, requiring time to file appropriate responses.
Counsel to the applicant, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), told the court that although the case was scheduled for hearing, the applicant had only just been served. “I began to receive processes from the first to third respondents on Friday. We were still attending to those processes when the fourth to sixth respondents served us this morning,” he said.
He added that the applicant would need to reply to the respondents’ objections and respond on points of law to processes filed by the fourth to sixth respondents. According to him, all parties agreed the matter could not proceed as scheduled. “In view of the processes we were served on Friday and today, we will be asking for an adjournment to enable us respond. The parties have suggested September 28, 2026,” he told the court.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), who appeared for the first to third respondents, confirmed the proposed date. “My Lord, just to confirm, that is what we agreed on, subject to the court’s convenience,” Pedro said.
The suit arose from the decision of the Coroner’s Court, presided over by Senior Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji, to conduct an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of the child, who died on January 7, 2026, at Eurapharma Care Services’ hospital facility in Victoria Island, Lagos.
On May 26, 2026, Justice Opesanwo granted leave to Eurapharma Care Services to commence judicial review proceedings challenging certain decisions of the Coroner’s Court in Suit No. MCL/1/CONA/2026, and ordered that the grant of leave should operate as a stay of further proceedings in the inquest pending determination of the substantive application. Following that order, Magistrate Adetunji on June 3, 2026, adjourned the inquest, fixing October 8, 2026, for further mention.
The respondents in the judicial review suit, marked LD/7069MJR/2026, are Senior Magistrate and Coroner Atinuke Adetunji, the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Dr. Ivara Esege, Chimamanda Adichie, and Atlantis Pediatric Hospital Limited. The hospital seeks orders of certiorari and prohibition to quash and restrain the Coroner’s Court from continuing the inquest.
It is specifically challenging decisions made by the Coroner’s Court on January 21, February 25 and April 14, 2026, directing that the inquest should proceed. Eurapharma contended that the Coroner lacked jurisdiction because the deceased’s body had allegedly been cremated before the coroner’s jurisdiction was activated, rendering a post-mortem impossible. It also objects to the directive requiring it to open its defence and call witnesses first despite allegations of medical negligence levelled against it.
While granting leave, Justice Opesanwo held that the application was not frivolous or vexatious and raised issues of procedure and fairness deserving judicial scrutiny. The court directed the applicant to file and serve its substantive processes on all respondents within 14 days.