The Yaba Magistrates Court in Lagos State has adjourned until April 14 the commencement of the coroner’s inquest into the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Esege, the son of popular Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie and her husband, Ivara Esege.

Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji set the new date during a court sitting on Wednesday.

Kemi Pinheiro appeared for the bereaved family; Adebola Rahman represented the Attorney-General; Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, of Health Ethics and Law Consulting, appeared for Atlantis Hospital, along with a representative of Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital.

According to the magistrate, fixing a new date became imperative after the court received an application from the state’s chief coroner, following Attorney General Lawal Pedro’s request that an inquest be conducted.

The magistrate stated, “The Lagos State government is also bereaved; that is why the attorney general has taken this step. It is not just the family of the deceased that is affected.”

She ordered all parties to file their witness statements before the next adjourned date, urging them to approach the proceedings carefully so the court can determine the cause of the incident.

Ms Adetunji added, “For every inquest, the starting point is that there must be an autopsy done to give us a professional report.”

On January 7, 2026, the child was receiving care at Atlantis Hospital, where he was referred to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos for pre-flight diagnostic procedures, including an MRI, lumbar puncture, and insertion of a central line, while arrangements were being made to transfer him to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.

However, the child passed away following the procedures, prompting his parents to file a legal notice dated January 10, 2026, which was issued by Mr Pinheiro.

Mrs Adichie accused Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital of medical negligence. She alleged that her son was not properly monitored after the sedative was administered.

According to the notice, the parents said the child developed sudden and severe complications while being transported to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory after the MRI.

The notice raised concerns about cumulative dosing of propofol in a critically ill child, inadequate airway protection during deep sedation, failure to ensure continuous physiological monitoring, and lack of supplemental oxygen or adequate monitoring.

Also, concerns on insufficient accompanying medical personnel, unavailability of basic resuscitation equipment, delayed recognition and management of respiratory or cardiovascular distress, and failure to comply with established paediatric anaesthesia and patient-transfer safety standards were raised.

Mr Pinheiro told the court that the family is prepared to present evidence alleging gross medical negligence, possible overdose, wrongful prescription, improper administration of propofol, and wrongful diagnosis.

He said the family intends to call five independent medical professionals, including an anesthesiologist, a paediatric anaesthesia specialist, a radiologist, an intensivist, and the child’s father, who is also a medical doctor.

Mr Pinheiro pleaded with the court to order Euracare to preserve all physical and electronic evidence from the date of the incident, including CCTV footage, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy records, emergency equipment logs, internal communications, and morbidity and mortality reviews.