This pain is a national one — the pain of the loss of a son by one of Nigeria’s most gifted writers, Chimamanda Adichie.
But before I continue, let me also state that her pain is also the pain of the over 50,000 Nigerian families who lose loved ones almost monthly within our derelict healthcare system.
At the time of the sad event, Nigerians forgot all other losses and brought out wipes to join her family in sorrow as we all mourned the avoidable passing of this little prince.
Since the sad event, a lot has happened. Fingers have been pointed, defences have been heard, and a lot of “shalaye” has also been going on, with the family stating very clearly that it would take all legal action to ensure “justice” is served.
As I woke up this dour Sunday morning, my phone started brimming.
I had written a provocative essay at the point the sad event took place and titled it — I Won’t Cry for Chimamanda and
Nigerians, in their emotional haze, came at me with all sorts.
I turned my back on them and behaved like the proverbial chicken with water just passing through my proud feathers.
My issue was clear — let us use this occurrence to provoke reforms in our healthcare system.
Chimamanda has the profile to provoke deep reforms as a result of her loss.
My people, in their hypocritical mien, didn’t listen but instead threw yeye barbs at me.
This, I suppose, is why my phone was inundated by reports of the beginning of the inquest into the loss.
People kept sending me the reports and when I opened them to read, I saw that the Lagos State Government, in a combined busybody and eye-service mode, had quickly joined the matter to say that they too were “bereaved.”
So it is only this one child that their bereavement crystallises upon, in the face of a near-collapse of the structure statewide?
Well, that is their business, as they pick and choose which of the thousands of mismanaged deaths in their state to be bereaved by.
When I had finished going through the reports, I made some other calls and stumbled on critical information on the matter.
Jackson, Etti & Edu, lawyers for Eurocare, the defendants, had raised a preliminary query on the case.
Apparently, the child, according to reports and a document that I have seen, had already been cremated.
Mbok, when you cremate a body before an autopsy, you have — in my illiterate mind — obfuscated critical evidence in a matter like this.
Help me, I am not a medical person nor a lawyer, but how does this help the other side’s case?
Abi someone should help me ask Olisa Agbakoba SAN who claims to have done over 50 of these types of cases.
You say there was negligence and you move to court, but you have cremated the body and expect to get judgment only through files, records and hearsay?
I just weak at how sometimes supremely intelligent people behave — and Lagos State Government is there crying more than the bereaved?
Questions this throws up include — was there an autopsy before the cremation? And if not, would the remaining evidence from records be enough to secure an admissible judgment?
Furthermore, would proceedings of this nature serve to weaken medical standards?
These and many more questions arise — including whether weakening the process throws up a jaundiced integrity which could lead to public doubt, amongst others.
This is why we must go back to strong procedures and institutions.
In a system where we all do things “anyhow,” we will almost always end up with “jaga jaga.”
What is the process from death to burial?
What approvals and procedures are the standard operating modules and were they followed?
When I lost my wife, I was basically left on my own.
We were just doing trial and error — being tossed from one person to another and from one suggestion to the other.
This is what I think might have happened in this case because if there were procedures and standards — especially in a case like this — it should not be at this point that we would be asking: why cremation before autopsy? Why cremation before the coroner?
Instead of the Lagos State Government focusing on rebuilding the system by strengthening these processes, they are jumping around the courts and crying bereaved.
My sympathies truly are with the family, as it can never be easy to lose such a wonderful offspring. But do we now also try to destroy an institution that has been designed to bring succour to a suffering general population without it being proven beyond every reasonable doubt that it deserves to also die?
I think extreme care should be taken in this matter so we do not end up crying twice.
We should show emotions, yes — but also look very intently and deliberately, armed with facts, logic, and procedural integrity, as we aim to get to the bottom of this.
Both sides need impartial closure, but Nigerians who face some of the worst mortality rates in the world really need the truth on this matter.
We are watching.
Thanks.
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: March 1, 2026
