...as Sanwo-Olu orders probe
Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has demanded accountability from Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos, accusing the facility of medical negligence and professional misconduct following the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi Esege.
The tragedy, which occurred in the early hours of January 7, 2026, prompted Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to order an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death. The probe is being led by the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) in collaboration with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and other regulatory bodies.
In a legal notice dated January 10, 2026, solicitors representing Adichie and her partner, Dr. Ivara Esege, alleged multiple lapses in the hospital’s paediatric care, including improper dosing of anaesthesia, inadequate airway protection, insufficient monitoring during sedation, and the absence of essential resuscitation equipment during intra-hospital transfers. The notice also accused the hospital of failing to provide adequate information for informed consent.
The notice, signed by the law firm of Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, demanded certified copies of all medical records relating to Nkanu’s care, including admission notes, consent forms, anaesthetic charts, drug administration logs, ICU records, incident reports, and internal safety reviews. The hospital was formally placed on notice to preserve all evidence, including CCTV footage, electronic monitoring data, and internal communications, with warnings that any tampering could constitute obstruction of justice.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, through his Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, expressed profound condolences to the grieving family, describing the loss as “a profound tragedy” and reiterating the state’s zero tolerance for medical negligence. The government pledged a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation, with public disclosure of findings and accountability for any culpable individuals or institutions.
Adding to the controversy, Dr. Anthea Esege Nwandu, Nkanu’s aunt and a dual board-certified internal medicine physician, publicly challenged Euracare’s official statement regarding the incident. Nwandu highlighted discrepancies between the hospital’s claims and what she described as established clinical and international paediatric anaesthesia standards. She accused the hospital of failing to provide continuous oxygen, proper monitoring, and necessary resuscitative support during transfers.
“The anaesthesiologist was criminally negligent. No proper protocol was followed,” Nwandu said. She also disputed the hospital’s claim that Nkanu had received prior care at multiple paediatric centres, clarifying that he was only transferred from Atlantis Paediatric Hospital to Euracare for specialised procedures.
The legal notice and the state-ordered probe mark the beginning of a high-profile investigation into the death of Nkanu Nnamdi Esege, with both the family and Lagos authorities vowing to ensure full accountability and justice.
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