Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her family are facing a heartbreaking loss after the death of one of her twin sons. Nkanu Nnamdi, aged 21 months, passed away on Wednesday following a short illness, her family confirmed in an official statement.
Omawumi Ogbe, speaking on behalf of the family, said they were “devastated by this profound loss” and expressed appreciation for the messages of support from friends, fans, and well-wishers. The statement also asked the public to respect their privacy and keep the family in their prayers.
Adichie, who lives in the United States, welcomed the twins through a surrogate in 2024 with her husband, Dr Ivara Esege. She also has an older daughter, born in 2016.
The author has gained worldwide recognition for her books, including Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, as well as her 2012 Ted Talk and essay We Should All Be Feminists, which Beyoncé later sampled in the 2013 song Flawless.
Her work frequently explores themes of gender, identity, and migration, establishing her as a leading voice in postcolonial feminist literature.
In 2015, Time Magazine listed her among the 100 most influential people in the world. Over the years, her writings have earned numerous accolades, including recognition in 2020 when Half of a Yellow Sun was voted the best book in the Women’s Prize for Fiction’s 25-year history.
Following news of her son’s death, tributes began to pour in, including from Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who described the loss of a child as unbearable. “No grief is as devastating as losing a child,” he said in a statement on X. “I empathise with the family at this difficult time.”
Adichie has previously shared insights into her personal journey as a writer and mother. Speaking to the BBC last year about her novel Dream Count, she emphasized the importance of her work being read widely in Africa.
She also reflected on the challenge of writer’s block during her first pregnancy, describing it as “a really frightening place to be, because writing is the thing that gives me meaning,” she told Emma Barnett.
In 2022, during a BBC lecture on freedom of speech, Adichie warned that young people are increasingly hesitant to ask questions out of fear of being judged.
She said such an environment could lead to “the death of curiosity, the death of learning and the death of creativity.” She added, “No human endeavour requires freedom as much as creativity does.”
As the family grieves, they continue to request privacy and support from the public while remembering their young son.
