The Coroner Court sitting at the Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos Island, has suspended proceedings in the inquest into the death of 21-month-old Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of renowned author Chimamanda Adichie and Dr. Ivara Esege, pending further directives from the Chief Coroner, Justice Mojisola Dada.
Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji, who presided over the proceedings, ordered the suspension following a directive reportedly issued by the Lagos State Attorney General, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN).
In a strongly worded ruling, the magistrate expressed displeasure over the Attorney General’s intervention without prior notice to the court.
“I find it very appalling that the Attorney General of Lagos State, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), will take such steps without informing the court. The court is not under the Ministry of Justice. The Attorney General does not have the power, under the principle of separation of powers, to direct the court,” she said.
She added that the matter would be escalated to the Chief Coroner for further directives and declined to fix a new date for continuation of the hearing.
“I will report to the Chief Coroner to get further directives. I will not assign any date for adjournment until I receive instructions,” she ruled.
Earlier, counsel from the Office of the Attorney General, Adebola Araba, informed the court that a meeting had been scheduled between the Attorney General and all counsel in the matter for May 12, 2026, urging the court to suspend the day’s proceedings.
He said the meeting was intended to resolve outstanding issues arising from the inquest.
However, counsel to the deceased’s parents, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeyinka Aderemi, objected, informing the court that parties had earlier been served with a letter dated April 23, 2026, signed by Olamide Ibrahim of the Attorney General’s office, initially scheduling a meeting for 2pm on Tuesday.
He explained that the meeting was later shifted to May 12, 2026, but parties had already prepared for the day’s hearing, with the bereaved parents present in court and unavailable thereafter.
“We received a letter dated April 23, 2026. The meeting was initially fixed for today by 2pm, but we were only informed last night that it had been shifted to May 12, 2026. We had expected the hearing to proceed today before attending the meeting,” Aderemi said.
The court also queried why such correspondence was issued without its knowledge.
Responding, Araba said he was not aware of the earlier letter and had only been instructed to communicate the Attorney General’s latest directive.
Counsel for Atlantis Hospitals, Abiodun Layonu (SAN), confirmed receipt of two letters from the Attorney General’s office dated April 23 and May 4, 2026, both confirming the rescheduled meeting for May 12, 2026.
He stated that the hospital would abide by the court’s directive.
Similarly, counsel for Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), confirmed receipt of the same correspondence.
Counsel to the family further lamented that key stakeholders were not adequately carried along, adding that the sudden suspension disrupted proceedings.
He noted that the father of the deceased was already in court, had sworn to oath, but was not called to testify.
“If the Attorney General is sincere, he should act proactively. If restorative justice is the goal, the meeting should have been convened earlier. This sudden change has truncated today’s proceedings,” he said.
The inquest, which commenced on February 25, 2026, relates to the circumstances surrounding the death of Master Nkanu Nnamdi Esege.
The child was first admitted to Atlantis Paediatric Hospital, Lagos, on January 6, 2026, after a worsening but initially mild illness.
He was later referred to Euracare Hospital for further diagnostic procedures, including MRI scan, lumbar puncture, and insertion of a central line, ahead of plans for transfer to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.
However, he died in the early hours of January 7, 2026, shortly after the procedures were carried out.
