Court Halts Inquest Into Death of Chimamanda Adichie’s Son Pending High Court Decision
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The Coroner’s Court sitting on Lagos Island has suspended further proceedings in the inquest into the death of Nkanu Adichie-Esege, the young son of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr. Ivara Esege.
The matter, which was scheduled to proceed before the coroner, was halted after legal representatives informed the court that the Lagos State High Court had issued an order directing a stay of proceedings pending the determination of a judicial review application.
Counsel representing Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital told the court that the medical facility had approached the High Court to challenge the jurisdiction of the Coroner’s Court over the case. The hospital is seeking clarification on whether an inquest can legally continue when the deceased’s body is reportedly no longer available.
According to the hospital’s legal team, the High Court granted permission for the judicial review and ordered that all activities before the Coroner’s Court be suspended until the substantive suit is resolved. The matter is expected to come up before the High Court later this month.
A representative of the Lagos State Attorney-General’s Office acknowledged the development but noted that the enrolled court order had not yet been received at the time of the proceedings. However, the hospital’s counsel maintained that the relevant parties had already been served.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing the family of the deceased child disclosed that several witness statements had been filed and exchanged among all parties involved in the matter. The witnesses include Dr. Ivara Esege and a number of medical experts from Nigeria and the United States.
The family’s legal team argued that the inquest remains necessary and should eventually proceed. They maintained that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding a death can still be conducted even where the deceased’s body is unavailable.
After listening to submissions from all sides, the coroner adjourned the matter until October 8, 2026, when the court is expected to receive updates on the outcome of the High Court proceedings and determine the next steps in the case.
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