Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Nigerian Writer and Her Husband Lose Their 21-Month-Old Son After Illness
- A 21-month-old son of writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband Ivara Esege has sadly passed away from illness
- The tragic news was announced by the couple in a statement to the media and public on Thursday, January 8, 2026
- Many fans of Chimamanda Adichie have taken to social media to mourn and offer their condolences after her son's demise
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Renowned Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Ivara Esege, lost one of their 21-month-old twin sons, Nkanu Nnamdi, on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after a short illness.
Source: Facebook
Chimamanda and her husband, known for keeping their family life private, welcomed the late Nkanu and his twin sibling via surrogacy in the US in 2024.
The couple already had a young daughter who was born in 2016 before the arrival of their twins.
What happened to Chimamanda's son?
In an official statement released by Omawumi Ogbe, a representative of Chimamanda's family, on Thursday, January 8, 2026, the author and her husband confirmed the death of their son, Nkanu, from a brief illness on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
In the statement, the renowned writer's family described the loss of the 21-month-old child as profound and devastating.
The family requested privacy and respect from fans and the media in their current painful period of mourning Nkanu's untimely demise.
Chimamanda and her husband expressed gratitude to the public for their understanding and appealed to them for prayers as they grieved with the rest of their family privately.
The statement emphasised that the couple would not make further comments about their son's death. They also thanked the media and public for honouring their need for their privacy.
The statement read:
"We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of one of Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr Ivara Esege’s twin boys, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed on Wednesday, the 7th of January 2026, after a brief illness. He was 21 months old.”
“The family is devastated by this profound loss, and we request that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time. We ask for your grace and prayers as they mourn in private.”
“No further statements will be made, and we thank the public and the media for respecting their need for seclusion during this period of immense grief.”
The Instagram post announcing the death of Chimamanda Adichie's son is below:
Who is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie?
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a US-based renowned Nigerian writer and feminist who was born in Enugu on September 15, 1977.
She is widely known for several fiction and non-fiction novels, including Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun, Americanah, and many others.
Source: Facebook
Chimamanda has won several accolades for her literary works, including the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, the Women's Prize for Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, and the Future Awards Africa.
She and her husband, Ivara Esege, a medical doctor, tied the knot in a traditional ceremony in 2009.
Fans sympathise with Chimamanda after son's demise
YEN.com.gh has gathered some comments from social media users below:
Ronkeposh commented:
"God have mercy! Haaa! Comfort them, Lord. This is too much, even for me."
Sylvias_bonnets said:
"No parent deserves to bury their children. I pray that God comforts the family at this time."
DrJohnBishop wrote:
"Losing a child is the worst nightmare for any parent to experience. I hope Chimamanda Adichie and her family get the support they need to get through this phase."
Dakore Egbuson-Akande mourns her father's death
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Dakore Egbuson-Akande mourned her father Samuel Egbuson's death in an emotional statement on Monday, January 5, 2026.
In a social media post, the veteran Nollywood actress detailed the date her father passed away and shared old photos of them together.
Dakore Egbuson-Akande also eulogised her late father for his impact on her and her siblings' lives from childhood.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
