Manny Ita
Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her family have announced the passing of her son, Nkanu Nnamdi, one of the twin boys whose birth the writer announced in 2025. According to a statement released by Adichie’s spokesperson, Omawumi Ogbe, the infant died on Wednesday, January 7, “after a brief illness.” The statement further noted that “the family is devastated by this monumental loss, and we ask that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time.”
The award-winning author had surprised the public in February 2025 when she revealed during an interview with a UK-based journalist that she and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, had welcomed twin boys via surrogacy. Adichie later addressed her decision in a May 2025 interview with Nigerian journalist Chude Jideonwo, stating that she had no regrets regarding the path she took to expand her family. “I want more women not to feel ashamed of talking about reaching motherhood through non-traditional means,” she explained at the time. “What I said about having my twins through surrogacy is true because there are some things you simply cannot hide. You cannot hide the existence of two perfect human beings.”
This loss marks another personal tragedy for the outspoken feminist and global public speaker, who previously mourned the passing of both parents in quick succession. Her father, Professor James Nwoye Adichie, died in 2020 due to complications from kidney failure, followed by her mother, Grace Ifeoma Adichie—the first female registrar of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka—in March 2021. The family has not released further details regarding funeral arrangements for young Nnamdi as they navigate this period of grief.
