The Lagos State High Court sitting at Osborne Foreshore has adjourned until September 28, 2026, the hearing of a judicial review application challenging the proceedings of the Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Chimamanda Ngozi – Adichie’s 21-month-old son.
Justice Aishat Opesanwo fixed the new hearing date on Monday after counsel to the applicant, Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited, informed the court that several respondents had recently served legal processes requiring responses before the matter could proceed.
Counsel to the applicant, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), told the court that although the matter had been scheduled for hearing, his client only received some of the respondents’ processes on Friday, while additional filings were served on Monday morning.
According to him, the applicant required time to respond to the objections raised by the respondents and to file further replies on points of law.
“We have to reply to the objections of the respondents, and they will need to reply to our response. We also need to reply on points of law to the processes filed by the fourth to sixth respondents,” Osipitan said.
He added that all parties had agreed that the matter could not proceed as scheduled due to the volume of processes exchanged in recent days.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Lawal Pedro (SAN), who appeared for the first to third respondents, confirmed the proposed adjournment date.
Following submissions from counsel, Justice Opesanwo adjourned the matter until September 28, 2026, for hearing.
Case Background
The dispute stems from the ongoing Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, who died on January 7, 2026, at a hospital facility operated by Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The inquest is being conducted by the Coroner’s Court presided over by Senior Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
On May 26, 2026, Justice Opesanwo granted Eurapharma leave to commence judicial review proceedings challenging certain decisions taken by the Coroner’s Court during the inquest.
The court also ordered that the leave granted should operate as a stay of further proceedings in the coroner’s inquest pending the determination of the substantive application.
Following the High Court order, Magistrate Adetunji suspended proceedings in the inquest on June 3 and adjourned the matter until October 8, 2026.
Hospital Challenges Coroner’s Jurisdiction
In the suit marked LD/7069MJR/2026, Eurapharma Care Services is seeking orders of certiorari and prohibition to quash and restrain the Coroner’s Court from continuing with the inquest.
The hospital is challenging decisions made by the Coroner’s Court on January 21, February 25 and April 14, 2026, directing that the inquest should proceed.
According to the applicant, the Coroner allegedly lacks jurisdiction to continue with the proceedings because the deceased’s body was cremated before the coroner’s jurisdiction was activated, making a post-mortem examination impossible.
The hospital is also contesting the Coroner’s directive requiring it to open its defence and call witnesses first despite allegations of medical negligence and misconduct made against it during the proceedings.
In granting leave for judicial review, Justice Opesanwo held that the application raised substantial legal questions deserving consideration by the court.
“The Court is satisfied that the Applicant has met the threshold for the grant of leave. The application is after all not frivolous or vexatious. It raises issues of procedure and fairness that ought to be ventilated at the substantive stage,” the judge held.
The respondents in the suit include Senior Magistrate and Coroner Atinuke Adetunji, the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Dr. Ivara Esege, Chimamanda Adichie and Atlantis Pediatric Hospital Limited.
The matter is expected to return before the court on September 28, when arguments on the substantive judicial review application will be heard.
