Court Suspends Inquest Proceedings in Death of Chimamanda Adichie’s Son Pending High Court Ruling
By Cynthia Ezinne Benson
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
The Coroner’s Court sitting at the Igbosere Magistrate Court on Lagos Island has adjourned proceedings in the inquest into the death of 21-month-old Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr. Ivara Esege, until October 8, 2026.
Coroner Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji fixed the new date on Wednesday following information presented by counsel to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, regarding a stay of proceedings granted by the Lagos State High Court.
The inquest was scheduled to commence substantive hearing before the development arose.
Addressing the court, Osipitan explained that Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital had filed a judicial review application before the High Court challenging the jurisdiction of the Coroner’s Court to conduct the inquest.
According to him, the hospital's position is based on the allegation that the remains of the deceased child were cremated before the commencement of the coroner's proceedings, raising legal questions about whether an inquest can proceed in the absence of the body.
He informed the court that the High Court granted leave for the judicial review application and directed that all proceedings before the Coroner’s Court be suspended pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Osipitan further disclosed that the matter had been adjourned by the High Court to June 8, 2026, and urged the Coroner’s Court to comply fully with the subsisting order.
Representing the Lagos State Attorney-General’s Office, Adebola Araba stated that his office had not yet received the enrolled order, although Osipitan maintained that the relevant documents had already been served on the Attorney-General’s Office.
Meanwhile, counsel to the deceased child’s family, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), informed the court that four witness statements on oath had already been filed and exchanged among all parties involved in the matter.
The witnesses listed include the child's father, Dr. Ivara Esege, medical expert Dr. Chinwe Ego from Arizona, another medical practitioner based in Minnesota, United States, and Prof. Adekola of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
While acknowledging the authority of the High Court's order, Pinheiro maintained that the inquest should ultimately proceed in the interest of establishing the facts surrounding the child's death.
He argued that transparent judicial processes serve the public interest and should not be avoided where questions requiring clarification remain unresolved.
Pinheiro also requested that the matter be adjourned to a definite date after the court's vacation period rather than being postponed indefinitely.
Counsel for Atlantis Pediatric Hospital, Efe Ize-Iyamu, confirmed receipt of both the High Court order and the originating motion filed in the judicial review proceedings.
He aligned with the position that although all parties were bound by the stay order, legal responses had already been filed and the issues remained active before the courts.
In his response, Osipitan reiterated that the key legal issue before the High Court concerns whether the Coroner’s Court possesses jurisdiction to conduct an inquest after the alleged cremation of the deceased's body.
Pinheiro, however, maintained that legal authorities and precedents support the conduct of an inquest even in situations where a body is unavailable, adding that the family intends to address the issue during future proceedings.
Following submissions from all parties, Magistrate Adetunji adjourned the matter until October 8, 2026, pending further developments in the High Court proceedings.
