The acclaimed author reveals her emotional connection to her homeland has fundamentally changed after losing her 21-month-old son to alleged medical negligence.
Award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has revealed that she no longer wants to return to Nigeria following the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu.
Speaking in an interview with The New York Times, Adichie stated that the tragic loss has fundamentally altered her relationship with her home country.
When asked if Nigeria still holds a special place in her heart, the author offered a candid response about her changed perspective.
“My feelings toward Nigeria have changed. I do not want to go back to Nigeria,” Adichie said.
Nkanu, one of her twin boys with husband Dr. Ivara Esege, died in December 2025 following a medical emergency at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos.
The child initially developed a fever and was taken for a medical assessment ahead of a planned medical evacuation to the United States. During an MRI examination, he was sedated with propofol, after which he suffered cardiac arrest and died the following day.
Adichie recalled a distressed doctor approaching her after the procedure, alleging that the child received an overdose of the sedative.
“He said to me, ‘Well, look, they gave him too much Propofol.’ Those were his exact words, which I will never forget until the day I die,” she said.
The incident sparked a public outcry in June when Adichie first raised allegations of medical negligence. The case led to an initial investigation by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and an ongoing coroner’s inquest in Lagos State.
Prior to the incident, Adichie frequently described Nigeria as central to her identity and creative work, noting that the country provided the foundation for her literary career.
While expressing reluctance to return, Adichie noted that her surviving children remain deeply connected to Nigeria, adding that her daughter still considers the country her “happy place.“
