Adichie: Court Rules Against Euracare in Bid to Stop Inquest into Son’s Death

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday dismissed an application by Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital seeking to stop a coroner’s inquest into the death of Nkanu Esege, the 21-month-old son of renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Mr Ivara Esege.

Justice Aishat Opesanwo, in her ruling, struck out the hospital’s originating motion seeking orders of certiorari and prohibition, holding that the suit was based on a fundamental misconception of the nature and jurisdiction of a coroner’s court.

The judge held that under Section 15(2) of the Lagos State Coroner’s System Law 2007, an inquest is mandatory in cases involving a death in custody occurring within a medical facility.

She rejected the hospital’s argument that the cremation of the child’s body and its absence from the proceedings deprived the coroner of jurisdiction, explaining that the location of the death, rather than the physical presence of a corpse during the proceedings, determines the court’s authority.

Justice Opesanwo also emphasised that a coroner’s inquest is a fact-finding exercise designed to establish who died, as well as how, when and where the death occurred. She said it was not a criminal or civil trial intended to determine liability or punish any party.

“A coroner’s inquest is a fact-finding inquiry… It is not a trial. No one is on trial in a coroner’s court. Unlike other courts, whether civil or criminal, there is no claimant, prosecution, or defence,” the judge said.

The court further held that a coroner has statutory discretion to determine the sequence in which witnesses and evidence are presented, adding that judicial review cannot be used to halt a process mandated by state law.

The child died on January 7, 2026, at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos. Following his death, his parents accused the hospital of medical negligence, alleging that an excessive dose of sedatives and a denial of oxygen led to cardiac arrest.

The hospital, however, has maintained that the child arrived at its facility in a critical condition and that its medical personnel provided care in accordance with standard medical protocols.

Following the Lagos State Government’s decision to initiate a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding the toddler’s death, Euracare approached the High Court to challenge the proceedings.

The hospital argued that an inquest without the child’s body for a post-mortem examination could produce speculative conclusions and waste public resources. It also contended that requiring its medical staff to present evidence first violated its right to a fair hearing under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

In addressing the objections, Justice Opesanwo said a coroner’s court does not operate under the strict rules of evidence or conventional trial procedures that assign the parties specific burdens of proof.

With the dismissal of the application, the coroner’s inquest into the death of the toddler is expected to proceed.