The inquest into the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Adichie-Esege, the son of celebrated author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr. Ivara Esege, has been put on ice. Coroner Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji of the Igbosere Magistrate Court in Lagos Island ordered a halt to proceedings on Wednesday, setting a new mention date of October 8, 2026.
The pause comes after the Lagos State High Court stepped in, granting an order that suspends the inquest while it reviews a legal challenge. The challenge was brought by Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, the facility where the child died on January 7, 2026.
The hospital’s lawyer, Professor Taiwo Osipitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, told the court that the High Court’s intervention was necessary. He argued that the Coroner’s Court may have overstepped its authority, especially since the child’s remains were allegedly cremated before the inquest began.
“The key issue is whether a coroner can legally investigate a death when the body is no longer available for examination,” Osipitan said. “There is also a consequential order that this Coroner’s Court be stayed until our substantive suit is decided.”
Osipitan noted that the hospital had served all parties and that the substantive application is set for June 8, 2026. He urged the Coroner’s Court to comply with the High Court’s directive.
But not everyone was on the same page. Adebola Araba, a lawyer from the Lagos State Attorney-General’s Office, said he had not personally seen the enrolled order. Osipitan countered that the office had been served the day before the hearing.
Kemi Pinheiro, another Senior Advocate representing the deceased’s family, told the court that four witness statements had already been filed. The proposed witnesses include the child’s father, Dr. Ivara Esege, a medical expert from Arizona, another from Minnesota, and a professor from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
“He who has nothing to hide should not fear an open inquest,” Pinheiro declared. “An innocent man has nothing to fear. It is darkness that fears the light.”
Pinheiro said the family would follow the High Court’s order but remained committed to the inquest. He urged the Coroner’s Court to adjourn the matter until after the court vacation, rather than indefinitely.
Efe Ize-Iyamu, counsel for Atlantis Pediatric Hospital, another party in the case, said his client had been served with the High Court’s order. He backed Pinheiro’s stance, noting that while they were bound by the order, Atlantis had already filed its response.
In a sharp exchange, Osipitan fired back, arguing that the central issue was the alleged cremation. “Whether you are fearful or fearless, there was wilful destruction,” he said. “You cannot assume jurisdiction. What they did is punishable by 15 years imprisonment. The question is whether someone who has done something wrong under the law can push for an inquest.”
Pinheiro disagreed, calling the submissions an affront to the Coroner’s Law. “We will show instances where inquests have been conducted even without the body,” he countered.
After hearing all sides, Magistrate Adetunji adjourned the matter to October 8, 2026.
The High Court’s order was issued on May 26, 2026, by Justice Aishat Opesanwo. She granted Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited, the parent company of Euracare, leave to challenge the Coroner’s Court proceedings. The order also directs that the inquest be stayed until the substantive suit is resolved.
The respondents in the judicial review include Coroner Adetunji, the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, the Attorney-General, Dr. Ivara Esege, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Atlantis Pediatric Hospital Limited.
The hospital is challenging decisions made by the Coroner’s Court on January 21, February 25, and April 14, 2026. It seeks orders of certiorari and prohibition to quash and stop the inquest. The hospital argues that the body was cremated before the court’s jurisdiction was activated, making any post-mortem impossible. It also challenges the court’s order for the hospital to open its defense first, despite allegations of gross negligence.
In granting leave, Justice Opesanwu held that the application was not frivolous or vexatious. “It raises issues of procedure and fairness that ought to be ventilated at the substantive stage,” she ruled.
The inquest was already on shaky ground earlier this year. On May 5, the Lagos State Attorney-General, Lawal Pedro, requested a pause for consultations. Magistrate Adetunji criticized that move for lacking formal notice and said it would be referred to the Chief Coroner.
Now, with the High Court’s order in place, the inquest remains frozen until the hospital’s challenge is decided. The case highlights a bitter legal battle over transparency, jurisdiction, and the limits of a coroner’s power when a body is no longer available.
