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Chimamanda Adichie, the award-winning Nigerian author, and Ivara Esege, her husband, have lost one of their twin sons.
Nkanu Nnamdi, the 21-month-old boy, died on Wednesday, following a brief illness.
In a statement released on Thursday by her representative Omawumi Ogbe, the author’s family expressed sadness over the boy’s death and requested privacy “during this difficult time”.
“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 statement reads.
“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 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.
“I want to protect my children. I’m okay with having them mentioned, but I don’t want the piece to become about them,” she had said.
“So, here is the thing, Nigerians are sosy. They want to know about your personal life. Because of that, I am resistant. I very rarely talk about it.”
