Award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, are grieving the sudden passing of one of their twin sons, Nkanu Nnamdi, who died at the age of 21 months.

In a statement released on Thursday by Omawumi Ogbe on behalf of the family, it was confirmed that the toddler passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, following a brief illness.

The full statement reads: “We’re deeply saddened to confirm the passing of one of Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr Ivara Esege’s twin boys, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed on Wednesday, 7th of January 2026, after a brief illness. He was 21 months old.

“The family is devastated by this profound loss, and we request that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time.

“We ask for your grace and prayers as they mourn in private.

“No further statements will be made, and we thank the public and the media for respecting their need for seclusion during this period of immense grief.”

Adichie, renowned for novels such as Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun, and Americanah, has long maintained a private family life. The couple, married since 2009, have a daughter born in 2016 and welcomed twin boys in 2024.