Chimamanda Adichie Opens Up About a Painful Change in Her Feelings Towards Nigeria
Award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has revealed that the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, has profoundly changed her feelings towards Nigeria.
Speaking to The New York Times, Adichie said she no longer wants to return to the country, despite previously describing Nigeria as deeply connected to her identity and writing. “I do not want to go back to Nigeria,” she said, adding that her feelings towards the country have changed.
Nkanu, one of her twin sons, died in December 2025 following a medical emergency at Euracare in Nigeria. Adichie has alleged medical negligence in his treatment, while a coroner’s inquest is examining the circumstances surrounding his death.
