A 56-year-old man from Ilorin in Kwara State, Yahaya Nafiu, is seeking help after his wife gave birth to 11 babies in Benin Republic.
Nafiu is appealing for financial assistance to care for the babies and their mothers.
His wife, Alake, 54, delivered 11 babies in Port Novo Ajasse, Cotonou, Benin Republic. Of these, eight are boys and three are girls, though two girls tragically died during delivery. Nafiu confirmed that while two babies did not survive, the remaining nine are healthy.
However, he expressed concern about his family’s financial struggles due to the high costs associated with caring for the babies and their mother. “One major challenge we face before bringing the children home to Ilorin to show them to my parents is raising money for marriage rites, medical bills, and a police report,” Nafiu said.
It was reported that a birth attendant helped deliver the babies on two separate occasions. The first delivery took place on July 7, 2024, followed by the second batch on August 14, 2024. “A few days after the first delivery, the mother noticed unusual movements in her stomach. After a scan at the hospital, the doctor revealed she was carrying another set of babies, leading us to contact the original birth attendant who delivered the next set of five babies,” Nafiu explained.
He described witnessing God’s miracle in the delivery process, noting that his wife’s pregnancy lasted over three years before the births.
Nafiu stated that attempts to determine his wife’s pregnancy status at the hospital were unsuccessful, and attributed the doctors’ inability to perform successful operations to spiritual influences.
In response to the situation, Alh Abdulmumini Abdulmalik, the national president of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), confirmed that Nafiu hails from the Onikeke Compound in the Popo Giwa area of Ilorin. He expressed joy that an Ilorin indigene living in Cotonou has been blessed with decuplets.
“While welcoming the decuplets and congratulating the parents on this remarkable blessing, we share in the joy of the Emir of Ilorin, Alh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, as we celebrate this historic event,” he added.
Abdulmalik urged the government and philanthropists from the Ilorin Emirate to provide financial and material support to Nafiu so he can fulfill his parental responsibilities.
