President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the death of Nkanu Nnamdi, the young son of acclaimed author
Chimamanda Adichie and her husband Ivara Esege.

The tragic news was confirmed in a family statement issued on Thursday. The statement revealed that the 21-month-old child passed away on Wednesday after a brief illness.

The family described themselves as devastated and requested privacy as they grieve.

In a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Tinubu conveyed his heartfelt condolences.

The president expressed his profound empathy for the family, sharing in their mourning.
Tinubu also offered prayers, asking that the Almighty God grant the grieving family strength and solace in this trying period.

“With a deep sense of grief, I condole with Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, and the entire family on the passing of their son, Nkanu Nnamdi,” the statement reads.

“As a parent myself who has suffered the loss of a loved one, no grief is as devastating as losing a child.

“I empathise with the family at this difficult time, and I mourn this sad loss with them.

“Ms Adichie is a literary icon who has brought joy and light to many homes globally, and I pray she and her family find strength in the Almighty in this trying hour.

“My prayers are with the family.”

The 48-year-old writer married Esege, a Nigerian doctor, in 2009. Before Nkanu’s death, the couple had three children: a daughter born in 2016 and twin boys born in 2024.

During a 2025 interview with The Guardian, the author revealed she kept the birth of her twin boys from the public to “protect” them.