Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie mourns death of toddler twin

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s family has confirmed the death of one of her toddler twins.

In an official statement, the family said 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi, whom Adichie had with her husband Dr. Ivara Esege, passed away on Wednesday after a brief illness.

Issued on behalf of the family by Omawumi Ogbe, the statement described the loss as “profound” and thanked well-wishers while requesting privacy and prayers.

Adichie, a US-based award-winning novelist, is known for works such as Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, as well as her 2012 TED Talk and essay We Should All Be Feminists, which was sampled by Beyoncé in the 2013 song Flawless.

A prominent figure in postcolonial feminist literature, her work often explores themes of gender and immigration. In 2015, she was listed among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.

Adichie, 48, welcomed her first child, a daughter, in 2016, and in 2024, her twin boys were born via surrogate.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu expressed condolences, stating, “No grief is as devastating as losing a child. I empathise with the family at this difficult time.”

In 2020, her 2006 novel Half of a Yellow Sun was voted the best book to have won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in its 25-year history.