By Wellington Jopelo
The coroner’s inquest into the death of Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of renowned writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has been adjourned to May 5 for continuation of hearing.
Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji, who is presiding over the proceedings, announced the adjournment on Tuesday at the JIC Taylor Courthouse in Lagos.
The inquest, ordered by the Lagos State Judiciary, is aimed at uncovering the circumstances surrounding the child’s death, which has drawn significant public attention.
At the previous sitting in February, the court had fixed the latest hearing for Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital to begin its defence by calling witnesses.
The coroner had also directed all parties involved to file and exchange their witness statements before the scheduled date to ensure a smooth hearing process.
However, proceedings could not go on as planned after the court discovered that none of the parties complied with the directive to submit their witness statements.
A new lead counsel for Euracare, Taiwo Osipitan, told the court that there was uncertainty about which party was expected to file first.
He also revealed plans to file an application requesting a postmortem examination to determine the cause of death, along with access to the deceased’s medical records.
But Magistrate Adetunji stated that the issue of conducting an autopsy had already been addressed earlier in the proceedings and would not delay the inquest.
She referred to arguments previously made by counsel to the family, Kemi Pinheiro, who maintained that the law allows an inquest to proceed even without an autopsy.
The magistrate stressed that Euracare could obtain necessary documents through legal means and should not use such requests to stall the hearing.
She also noted that the hospital had initially requested the inquest and had expressed willingness to participate fully in uncovering the truth.
According to her, coroner inquests are not meant to be adversarial but are designed to establish facts, provide closure to families, and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Lawyers representing the family and Atlantis Paediatric Hospital informed the court that their witness statements were ready and would be filed accordingly.
Counsel for the Lagos State Government added that expert witnesses may be invited depending on how the testimonies unfold.
The case was subsequently adjourned to May 5, May 20, and June 3 for continuation of hearing.
Master Nkanu was reportedly admitted to Euracare Hospital in January after being referred from Atlantis Paediatric Hospital for urgent care.
He died hours later, prompting investigations into the circumstances surrounding his treatment.
Following preliminary findings, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria established a case of alleged medical negligence against three doctors involved in his care.
The council also issued interim suspension orders against the doctors pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings.