A Lagos State High Court has postponed proceedings relating to the coroner’s inquest into the death of the young son of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, pushing the matter to September as legal arguments surrounding the case continue.
The case centers on the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi Adichie-Esege, who reportedly died in January at a Lagos hospital. The tragedy attracted public attention and led to a coroner’s inquest aimed at determining the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
At the latest court session, lawyers representing the hospital involved in the matter requested additional time to respond to legal documents filed by other parties. As a result, the court agreed to adjourn the proceedings until September 28, 2026.
The hospital has challenged the legality of the coroner’s inquest, arguing that there are jurisdictional and procedural issues that must first be resolved before the inquiry can continue.
Earlier, the High Court had granted permission for judicial review proceedings to commence and ordered that the coroner’s inquest be temporarily suspended pending the outcome of the legal challenge.
Following that ruling, the Coroner’s Court halted its proceedings and fixed a separate date later in the year while awaiting the High Court’s decision on the substantive application.
Several parties have been joined in the suit, including the coroner handling the matter, Lagos State officials, the child’s parents, and medical institutions connected to the case.
With the latest adjournment, attention will now shift to the September hearing, where the court is expected to consider arguments that could determine whether the coroner’s inquest proceeds or remains halted.