Celebrated Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, are in deep sorrow and devastated by the death of one of their 21-month-old twin sons, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after a brief illness.
A member of Chimamanda’s communication team, Omawumi Ogbe, who confirmed the tragic news in an official statement, described the loss as a devastating moment for the Adichie-Esege family.
The statement said, “We’re deeply saddened to confirm the passing of one of Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie & 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,” the statement added.
Stating that no further public communication would be made regarding the tragedy, Ogbe expressed gratitude to well-wishers for their support and respect for the family’s need for seclusion.
Adichie, 48, an award-winning US-based writer who is known for her works including Half of a Yellow Sun, Americanah and her 2012 Ted Talk and essay We Should All Be Feminists, which was sampled by Beyoncé on her 2013 song Flawless, had her first child, a daughter, in 2016, and in 2024, she had her twin boys, born using a surrogate.
In 2015, Adichie was listed as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people.