The Coroner’s Court sitting at the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos Island, on Tuesday suspended further hearing in the inquest into the death of 21-month-old Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr Ivara Esege, pending further directives from the Chief Coroner, Justice Mojisola Dada.
Coroner Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji halted proceedings following a request conveyed by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN).
In a short ruling, Adetunji lambasted the Attorney-General for taking steps to halt the proceedings without formally informing the court.
“I find it very appalling that the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), would take such steps without informing the court.
“The court is not under the Ministry of Justice. The Attorney-General does not have the power, under the principle of separation of powers, to direct the court.
“I will report to the Chief Coroner for further directives. I will not assign any adjournment date until I receive directives from the Chief Coroner,” she ruled.
Earlier, when the matter came up for hearing, counsel from the Attorney-General’s office, Adebola Araba, informed the court that he had been directed to inform the court that proceedings should be suspended pending a meeting between the Attorney-General and all counsel involved in the matter.
Araba said the meeting had been fixed for May 12, 2026.
“I have been directed to inform the court that a meeting between the Attorney-General of Lagos State and all counsel appearing in this matter has been scheduled for May 12, 2026.
“We urge the court to suspend today’s proceedings and fix a hearing date after the meeting,” he said.
However, counsel to the deceased’s parents, Adeyinka Aderemi (SAN), told the court that his clients had earlier received a letter dated April 23, 2026, signed by Olamide Ibrahim from the Attorney-General’s office, fixing the meeting for 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
He said counsel were only informed late Monday night that the meeting had been rescheduled to May 12.
“We received a letter dated April 23, 2026, signed by Olamide Ibrahim from the Attorney-General’s office, fixing the meeting for today at 2 p.m.
“It was only last night that we were informed that the meeting had been shifted to May 12. Based on the earlier notice, we believed today’s hearing would proceed and that we would attend the meeting afterwards.
“The parents are here in court, and they will not be around after Friday,” Aderemi said.
The magistrate queried why the Attorney-General’s office communicated with parties without notifying the court.
In response, Araba said he was unaware of the earlier correspondence and had only been instructed to notify the court about the rescheduled meeting.
Counsel for Atlantis Paediatric Hospital, Abiodun Layonu (SAN), confirmed receiving two letters from the Attorney-General’s office dated April 23 and May 4, 2026, and said his clients would abide by the court’s directive.
Aderemi further informed the court that Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) had called him on Monday night to apologise for his inability to attend Tuesday’s proceedings.
He argued that the interests of the deceased’s parents were not being adequately considered.
“If the Attorney-General is sincere, he should be up and doing. If there is restorative justice, he should have called the meeting before now.
“This letter has effectively truncated today’s hearing.
“The father of the deceased is in court and has already sworn his statement on oath. I had expected the court to hear it today,” he said.
Counsel for Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Prof Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), also confirmed receiving the two letters dated April 23 and May 4, 2026, notifying parties that the meeting had been rescheduled to May 12, 2026.
The inquest into Master Nkanu Nnamdi Esege’s death commenced on February 25, 2026.
The child was admitted to Euracare Hospital on January 6, 2026, after being referred from Atlantis Paediatric Hospital for urgent medical procedures.
He had initially been admitted to Atlantis Hospital in Lagos for what was described as a worsening but initially mild illness.
While arrangements were being made to transfer him to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States, Atlantis referred him to Euracare for pre-flight diagnostic procedures, including an MRI scan, lumbar puncture, and insertion of a central line.
The child, however, died in the early hours of January 7, 2026, following the procedures.
Meanwhile, Pedro (SAN) has denied claims that his office played any role in the suspension of proceedings in the coroner’s inquest into the death of Master Adichie-Esege.
Reacting to reports surrounding the proceedings of May 5, 2026, at the J.I.C. Taylor Courthouse, Lagos Island, Pedro said suggestions that the Ministry of Justice directed or requested the coroner to halt the inquest were false.
He stressed that the decision to suspend proceedings lies solely within the powers of the coroner.
“At no time did the Office of the Attorney-General direct, request or intend that the coroner should suspend proceedings,” Pedro said.
According to him, the ministry’s involvement had been misconstrued.
He explained that the invitation extended to counsel representing parties in the matter was part of a routine engagement aimed at communicating the policy direction of the Attorney-General’s office on the conduct and management of coroners’ inquests in Lagos State.
Pedro said the meeting was also intended to secure the cooperation of counsel and other stakeholders to ensure the inquest proceeds speedily and without avoidable delays.
“The engagement was designed to enhance coordination and ensure that the inquest is concluded expeditiously in the interest of justice,” he said.
The Attorney-General noted that the initiative was informed by recent institutional experience, particularly the prolonged coroner’s inquest into the death of late singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
He said the development highlighted the need for a more efficient framework for handling similar proceedings.
“The experience from recent inquests has shown the need to promote a more efficient process, as undue delays are neither in the interest of justice nor in the interest of affected families,” he stated.
Pedro maintained that the proposed engagement was never intended to interfere with, suspend or truncate the judicial process.
Rather, he said, it was conceived as a collaborative effort to improve the effectiveness and timely resolution of the proceedings.
He urged members of the public to disregard insinuations to the contrary and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the proper administration of justice in Lagos State.
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