35-Year-Old Woman Breaks Record In LASUTH, Delivers Quintuplets

At this period of global economic crisis occasioned by the advent of deadly novel Coronavirus pandemic, a Nigerian couple, Mr. and Mrs. Omage Ewanle was blessed with quintuplets, a set of five babies delivered at one birth.

While Mr. Omage was celebrating with his wife, Foyeke, the hospital where the babies were delivered, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) located in the heart of the capital city of Lagos State, SouthWest Nigeria, has its record being broken by Mrs. Omage as the first-ever quintuplets birth in the hospital since it was established 66 years ago.

The hospital was established in 1955 from a small cottage health centre by the old western region. It was converted to a teaching hospital in July, 2001 by the Government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The quintuplets were safely delivered through Caesarian which was conducted by the senior doctors of the foremost health institution. The babies, two boys and three girls, were hale and healthy with the following weights as at the time of writing this report. Girl (1) weighed 1.85kg, Girl (2l weighed 1.81kg and Girl (3) weighed 1.78kg. Boy (1) weighed 1.82kg, while Boy (2) weighed 1.77kg.

The mother of the babies, Mrs. Omage (35), who hails from Ife East Local Government Area in Osun State, SouthWest Nigeria, was full of life and happiness while speaking with P.M. EXPRESS on her bed.

She said:  “This is the Lord’s doing and we are happy and full of praises to God on this. I wedded in 2014 with no child since then. I was barren. Several tests at various hospitals revealed that nothing was wrong with me and my husband. Between 2014 and the time I got pregnant, it was very tough for me because I was restless. We embarked on several spiritual journeys with many fastings and prayers until this pregnancy came to reality.

“When the first scanned was conducted, I was told that I should be expecting four babies. I shouted in excitement because I never thought that this would be how my bareness would end up. It was the second scan conducted that revealed that the babies were five.

“My husband received this news of the five babies after the scan with mixed feeling. I could see the confusion on his face. He told me that  he might run away because of the challenges of taking care of the babies. I pleaded with him not to leave me alone. I had to encourage him that though the situation was beyond us, but this had happened and that we had to face the reality before us with faith and determination.”

When asked how she was able to cope with the pressure from her in-laws when she could not give her husband any child for over six years in marriage knowing fully the cultural implication of this in a typical African and indeed Nigerian society, Mrs. Omage was full of praises for her mother-in law, who instead of castigating and putting unnecessary pressure on her, rallied round her with prayers and words of encouragement.

“My mother-in law has been a wonderful mother to me from inception of this marriage. She always tell me that I should not worry that she believes I would one day give her family a child. She prayed along with me. Unlike other mothers-in law, she stood by me until this glorious day came to us as a surprise from God,” she said.

“My experience during the pregnancy was a tough one. It is always not easy carrying one baby, not to talk of five at once. I never missed my hospital appointments. The doctors kept on telling me that the babies inside me were active and I too was doing well. I underwent CS. It was successful as the doctors and every other supporting medical personnel have been waiting for this day. The baby’s weighs were good at the time of delivery. They have been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) since the day of delivery. I also spent two days in the ICU, but now I am strong.

“What surprised me was that the hospital was agog with jubilation after the babies were successfully delivered. This is because the birth of my quintuplets was a record breaking in LASUTH as being the first time in the history of the hospital a delivery of five babies at one birth. I and my babies have entered the history book of this great hospital with this record. I must point out and commend the excellent attention we have been receiving from the hospital. It is world class. The babies and I have been fully supported with the best medical cares and I am grateful for this. I am so happy that my first born after about six years in marriage will be five babies. This is wonderful,” Mrs. Omage said.

To the husband, Mr. Omage, who is of the same age with his wife, 35 years, all that happened from the time she married his wife in 2014 to the time the pregnancy finally came in 2020 and the quintuplets were all acts of God which he couldn’t find words to explain.

Mr. Omage, an indigenes of Owen West Local Government Area in Edo State, south-south Nigeria, who resides at 5 Barrister Ejide Close, off Kola Ogundeji Street, by Seliat Bus Stop in Egbeda area of Lagos, is a worker at Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria, an agriculturist, who earns below N80, 000 monthly. He was concerned about the burdens he will now face to raise the five babies in the Coronavirus ravaged economy of Nigeria.

“Since the day I knew that I would be father of five babies at a go, it has been like a dream. Will I continue to talk about the trauma, both psychologically, culturally and the pains of going through series of tests which all pointed out that all was well with me and my wife? The spiritual effort was also countless. But I thank God for His wonders. This is unexpected.

“I must however confess that all seems not to be well financially because these burdens of taking care of these quintuplets will be too much for me and my wife who currently is out of job. I believe that before we will leave the hospital, our bills must have run close to two million Naira and more importantly is the upkeeps of these wonderful children.”

The couple pleaded for assistance from spirited people in and outside Nigeria to support and help cushion the effects of the huge responsibilities of the five babies.
“We cannot do this alone,” Omage said.

“There have been enquiries from Nigerians when the news filtered out of the delivery of the five babies. I want to say that we are available for whatever capacity of support we can receive now from good people of the world. That’s why I would like to avail you with my telephone number: +2347060813361 and my accounts number: Omage Ewanle, Fidelity Bank 6019995905, for anybody to contact me for and assistance and for any support,” he said.

The mother of Ewanle, Mrs. Comfort Omage said that it was not the happiness of a mother to see that her son and wife were childless years after marriage.

“The husband is my first born and he is so dear to me. I believe in God with the couples that God will answer their prayers. I also joined them in prayers. When the pregnancy finally came. It was a thing of joy for me and when I was told that we were expecting five babies at once, then the joy was full. I thank the Almighty God for everything He has done. I want people to help me help my son and the wife for this new arrivals. This is no doubt that this will be a huge responsibility. People’s support will go a long way in relieving them of the burdens,” Mrs. Comfort Omage said.

Though, P.M. EXPRESS’ checks at the Public Relations Unit of the LASUTH could not yield any good and prompt result demanded for the urgency of the news, as it was gathered that enquiries have to pass through official protocols, it was however learnt that the hospital had witnessed delivery majorly twins in the past, but the case of Mr. and Mrs.Omage Ewanle was a record breaking.

While there is no specific Government policy on cases of multiple babies delivery in Nigeria, past cases have shown that governments at different levels have had cause to respond to the needs of parents of quintuplets birth like this. Former Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and his wife were on hands to assist both financially and materially a couple in Lagos who had five babies at a birth like few years ago. There were also similar cases in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and Kogi State.
It is, however, believed that the case of the newest parents of another quintuplets in Nigeria in the new year, Mr. and Mrs Omage Ewanle won’t be different.