“INQUEST CAN PROCEED WITHOUT BODY”: COURT RULES IN ADICHIE’S FAVOUR

The Lagos High Court has dismissed an application by Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital seeking to stop the coroner’s inquest into the death of Nkanu Adichie-Esege, the 21-month-old son of celebrated author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

The court ruled that the inquest can proceed even without the deceased’s body, clearing the way for a public judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.

THE RULING

Justice Aisat Opesanwo delivered the ruling on Monday, October 12, 2026, dismissing the hospital’s suit which had sought a judicial review of the coroner’s jurisdiction to conduct the inquest.

The hospital had argued that because the child had already been cremated before the inquest commenced, the absence of the body raised questions about the coroner’s ability to conduct a proper inquiry.

The court disagreed.

According to the Lagos State Coroners’ System Law, Section 21, an inquest can take place when a body has been destroyed or cannot be recovered. The court found that the absence of the body does not nullify the coroner’s jurisdiction to conduct an inquest.

THE BACKSTORY: HOW IT BEGAN

Nkanu, one of Adichie’s twins, died on January 7, 2026, following complications during a series of preparatory medical procedures at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.

The author and her husband, Ivara Esege, publicly accused the hospital of medical negligence and a cover-up.

Adichie alleged that the hospital had “delayed, confused and obscured the process at every turn” and accused it of making “manipulative and implicitly threatening” statements to her family.

In February 2026, the coroner sitting at the Igbosere Magisterial District in Yaba commenced proceedings to investigate and determine the circumstances surrounding the death. During those proceedings, it emerged that the child had been cremated, a development that raised questions about the availability of primary forensic evidence.

Euracare subsequently approached the Lagos High Court to seek a judicial review of whether the coroner’s court properly assumed jurisdiction. In June 2026, the Lagos High Court ordered a temporary halt to the inquest pending the review.

Adichie and her husband asked the court to dismiss the hospital’s suit, arguing that it was “premature” because the coroner had not yet made any finding that could be nullified.

ADICHIE’S POSITION

In her public statements, Adichie had been unequivocal about her determination to pursue justice.

“They can drag all they wish in the mud, but our quest for justice will continue,” she said. “If Euracare cares about the truth, then why create delays and distractions and now, finally, try to stop an inquest?”

She described the inquest as “a public judicial inquiry designed to establish the circumstances surrounding a death. It is not a trial. It is not a claim for damages. It is simply a search for the truth.”

She also revealed that the hospital had allegedly made threats against her and her family in connection with their son’s death.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

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With the court’s ruling, the coroner’s inquest can now proceed. The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Nkanu’s death, including the medical procedures he underwent and the actions of the hospital’s staff.

Euracare has defended its clinical staff, saying they acted professionally. A doctor was previously suspended over the incident.

WHY IT MATTERS

The case has drawn national and international attention, not only because of Adichie’s prominence but because of what it says about medical accountability in Nigeria.

If a family of Adichie’s standing can face delays, intimidation and legal manoeuvres in the pursuit of answers, the question of what ordinary Nigerians face when they lose loved ones under questionable medical circumstances becomes even more urgent.

The inquest is not a criminal trial. It is not a claim for damages. It is, in Adichie’s words, “simply a search for the truth.” ValidViewNetwork reports that the inquest will now proceed. The court has cleared the path for the search for truth to continue.