Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, are mourning the death of their son, Nkanu Nnamdi Esege, who died on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after a brief illness. He was 21 months old.
The death was confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Adichie’s communications team and signed by Omawumi Ogbe. The statement said:
“We’re 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, 7th of January 2026, after a brief illness. He was 21 months old.”
The family did not disclose the nature of the illness or the location of the child’s death.
The statement added:
“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.”
It further noted that no additional statements would be made and thanked the public and the media for respecting the family’s wish for seclusion.
Nkanu Nnamdi was one of the couple’s twin sons, born in 2024. Adichie publicly announced the birth of the twins while promoting her then-new work of fiction, Dream Count.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is internationally known for her novels Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, among other works including Purple Hibiscus. Since the announcement, writers, academics, and readers across Africa, Europe, and North America have expressed condolences to the family.
