Award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has accused Lagos-based Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital of medical negligence and an alleged cover-up following the death of her three-year-old son, Nkanu, in January.
Making public a letter she wrote on April 16, 2026, Adichie detailed the circumstances surrounding her son's death, accusing Euracare of failing to provide proper care, withholding key medical records and attempting to misrepresent the cause of death.
According to her, Nkanu was taken to Euracare on January 6 for medical tests, including an MRI scan.
She alleged that after being sedated with propofol by anesthesiologist Dr. Titus Ogundare, the child suffered respiratory and cardiac arrest, resulting in a hypoxic brain injury.
He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead on January 7.
Adichie said Euracare's Medical Director, Dr. Tosin Majekodunmi, informed her shortly after the incident that the anesthesiologist had administered excessive sedation.
Quoting the medical director, she wrote: "The anesthesiologist had given my son 'too much propofol."
The novelist also challenged the cause of death listed on her son's death certificate, which cited bacterial and fungal meningitis.
She argued that there was no medical evidence supporting that conclusion and insisted that her son was conscious and responsive before the sedation procedure.
Beyond the medical circumstances, Adichie accused the hospital of obstructing efforts to obtain a full account of what happened.
She said requests for medical records and staff reports were delayed, while documents eventually provided were incomplete and omitted a report from the anesthesiologist involved.
She further alleged that Euracare issued an adversarial public statement and sought to deflect attention from questions surrounding the procedure by promoting claims that her son died of meningitis.
Describing the hospital's conduct as a painful extension of her family's grief, Adichie wrote:
"Euracare seems to be playing a monstrous cynical game – to delay and stall. It is horrific that Euracare would choose tactics more suited to amoral situations."
Chimamanda concluded by accusing the hospital of lacking transparency and accountability, stating that, "There are certain things in life for which only the truth serves as acceptable response."
The coroner's inquest into the circumstances surrounding Nkanu's death is ongoing.
Euracare has yet to publicly respond to the specific allegations contained in the letter.
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