Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has said the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, has changed her feelings towards Nigeria, adding that she no longer wants to return to the country.
Adichie made this known in an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, while speaking about how the loss of her son had affected her relationship with her home country.
Asked if Nigeria still felt close to her heart, the award-winning author responded, “My feelings toward Nigeria have changed,” adding, “I do not want to go back to Nigeria.”
Nkanu, one of Adichie’s twin boys, died in December 2025 following a medical emergency at Euracare in Nigeria.
She said the child initially developed a fever and was placed on antibiotics by her husband, Ivara Esege.
According to Adichie, Nkanu was taken to the hospital when his condition did not improve. She said he was later sedated with propofol for an MRI examination, after which he suffered cardiac arrest and died the following day.
Recounting the incident, Adichie said a doctor approached her after the procedure and told her, “Well, look, they gave him too much Propofol.”
She said the words remained etched in her memory, adding, “Those were his exact words, which I will never forget until the day I die.”
The author had in June publicly raised allegations of medical negligence over the treatment her son received at the hospital.
The circumstances surrounding Nkanu’s death are now the subject of a coroner’s inquest, with proceedings reportedly involving delays and disagreements between the family and the hospital.
Euracare has also reportedly accused Adichie and her husband of destroying evidence by cremating their son’s remains, an allegation linked to the ongoing proceedings.
Adichie and her husband have called for improvements to Nigeria’s healthcare system but, according to the report, have not filed a lawsuit against the hospital.
Speaking about whether she could return to Nigeria in the future, Adichie said her children might be the only reason she would consider doing so. She added that her daughter still viewed Nigeria as her “happy place”.
Before Nkanu’s death, Adichie said Nigeria had remained deeply connected to her identity and writing, describing the country as the place where she received “everything” that enabled her to become a writer.
However, she said the tragedy had changed that connection, describing the experience as surreal.
“I mean, it is so surreal, all of this. I still can’t believe we’re talking about my son who died,” she said.
“You’re going through something, but you also feel like you’re outside of it,” she added.
