Renowned Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has shared a heartbreaking account of how her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, died after a hospital visit in Lagos. In a statement released on Saturday, she said her son passed away on January 7, 2026, following complications from a medical procedure. She believes the incident could have been avoided with better care.

Chimamanda explained that her son was taken to a private hospital in Lagos for an MRI scan and the placement of a medical line after he developed what initially looked like a minor illness that later became a serious infection. She said the child was sedated for the procedure but was not properly monitored afterwards.

According to her, her son became unresponsive shortly after sedation and later developed serious complications. Despite efforts by the medical team to revive him, he sadly did not survive. Chimamanda said she believes these complications were linked to how the procedure was handled.

She called for accountability and better safety standards in hospitals, especially when it comes to the care of young children. She also urged families to ask questions and demand proper monitoring whenever medical procedures involve sedation or specialised care.