A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has dismissed an application by Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital seeking to stop a coroner’s inquest into the death of Nkanu Esege, the 21-month-old son of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Ivara Esege.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Aishat Opesanwo struck out the hospital’s application for writs of certiorari and prohibition, ruling that the case was based on a misunderstanding of the jurisdiction and purpose of a coroner’s court.
According to Channels Television, the judge held that the inquest could proceed despite the absence of the child’s body following cremation.
Court Says Inquest Is Compulsory
Justice Opesanwo cited Section 15(2) of the Lagos State Coroner’s System Law 2007, stating that an inquest is compulsory in cases involving a death in custody occurring within a medical facility.
She rejected the hospital’s argument that the cremation of the child and the absence of his body deprived the coroner of jurisdiction.
The judge explained that the location of the death, rather than the physical presence of a corpse during proceedings, determines the coroner’s authority.
She also emphasised that a coroner’s inquest is a fact-finding exercise intended to establish who died, as well as how, when and where the death occurred.
According to the court, the proceedings are not a criminal or civil trial designed to determine liability or punish any party.
Hospital Opposed Inquest Without Body
Euracare had approached the High Court after the Lagos State Government initiated an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the toddler’s death.
The hospital argued that proceeding without the child’s body for a post-mortem examination could lead to speculative conclusions and waste public resources.
It also challenged the directive requiring its medical personnel to present evidence first, arguing that the arrangement violated its right to a fair hearing under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
However, Justice Opesanwo held that a coroner’s court does not operate under the same strict evidential rules and procedures as conventional civil and criminal trials.
She further ruled that the coroner has statutory discretion to determine the sequence in which witness statements and other evidence are presented.
The judge added that judicial review should not be used to interrupt a process mandated by state law.
Adichie, Husband Allege Medical Negligence
Nkanu Esege died on 7 January 2026 at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos.
Following his death, Adichie and her husband accused the hospital of medical negligence, alleging that an excessive dose of sedatives and the denial of oxygen contributed to the child’s cardiac arrest.
The hospital, however, maintained that the toddler arrived at its facility critically ill and that its medical personnel provided care in accordance with standard medical protocols.
The allegations have not been established by the ruling on the hospital’s application.
Inquest Expected to Proceed
With the High Court dismissing the hospital’s application, the coroner’s inquest into the child’s death is expected to proceed.
The inquiry is intended to establish the circumstances surrounding the toddler’s death, rather than serve as a trial to determine criminal or civil liability.
The court’s decision allows the statutory fact-finding process to continue despite the hospital’s objections.
