Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, has profoundly changed her feelings towards Nigeria, adding that she does not want to return to the country.
Adichie made the disclosure in an interview with The New York Times while reflecting on the loss of her son and the circumstances surrounding his death.
“My feelings toward Nigeria have changed,” she said. “I do not want to go back to Nigeria.”
Nkanu, one of her twin boys, died in December 2025 after a medical emergency at Euracare in Nigeria.
According to Adichie, Nkanu initially developed a fever and was placed on antibiotics by her husband, Ivara Esege. When his condition failed to improve, they took him to hospital for further examination.
She said the child was later sedated with propofol during an MRI examination, after which he suffered cardiac arrest and died the following day.
Recalling the incident, Adichie said a doctor approached her after the procedure and told her, “Well, look, they gave him too much Propofol.”
The author publicly raised allegations of medical negligence over her son’s treatment in June. His death is now the subject of a coroner’s inquest, which has reportedly been marked by delays and disagreements between the family and the hospital.
Euracare has reportedly accused Adichie and her husband of destroying evidence by cremating their son’s remains, an allegation connected to the ongoing proceedings.
Although the couple has called for improvements in Nigeria’s healthcare system, they have not instituted a lawsuit against the hospital, according to the report.
Adichie said her children could be the only reason she might consider returning to Nigeria, noting that her daughter still regards the country as her “happy place.”
Before Nkanu’s death, she said Nigeria was deeply connected to her identity and writing. However, she said the loss of her son had changed that relationship.
“I still can’t believe we’re talking about my son who died,” Adichie said.
