Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, are mourning the death of one of their twin sons, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 21 months old.
The family, through a statement issued on Thursday by Omawumi Ogbe on their behalf, said Nkanu died after a brief illness. The statement described the loss as “profound” and appealed to the public and media for privacy during this difficult period.
It reads in part: “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 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.”
Chimamanda Adichie, acclaimed for her novels and essays, and her husband, a consultant physician, welcomed twins into their family in mid-2024. Friends, colleagues, and admirers have taken to social media to offer condolences and support to the grieving couple.
