Award-winning novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, have a son, Nkanu Nnamdi. Nnamdi is one of the twins of the couple. His demise has been confirmed by the family.
The sad development was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by Omawumi Ogbe on behalf of the family. Nnamdi, a 21-month-old baby, passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after a brief illness.
“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,” the statement read.
