Nigerian govt gifts parents of Abuja quintuplets house, job for dad

The Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, has promised to give a house to the couple that recently welcomed a set of quintuplets at the National Hospital, Abuja.

The quintuplets, all girls, were born on April 12, 2017.

The couple presently reside in a one bedroom apartment at Lugbe on Airport Road, in Abuja.

Mrs. Oyo-Ita made the promise when she visited the children on Saturday in Abuja.

She said that the house would be given under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Scheme. She also promised Imudia Uduehi, father of the quintuplets who is a graduate of the University of Ilorin, a job with the Federal Civil Service.

Mr. Uduehi is currently unemployed.

She described the children as great blessings given to the couple by God on a platter of gold. She said the job offer to Mr. Uduehi will enable him cater for the children.

“I am very happy for you and I am standing here this afternoon representing the entire civil service of Nigeria. Today is a day of joy for all of us.

“Indeed, you are a couple that has been so blessed by God. You have been married for just two years and God has blessed you with five children at once. I want to tell you that the Federal Integrated Staff Housing programme will be made available to you, we will give you a house that can accommodate you your husband and your five children,” Mrs. Oyo-Ita said.

She also presented cash gifts and diapers to them, thanking the doctors for their efforts in ensuring the babies and mothers are alive. She also applauded the medical team for taking care of the mother through the period of pregnancy and delivery.

Oluwakemi Uduehi, the mother of the children who spoke on behalf of her family, thanked the Head of Service for her kind gesture.

Mrs. Uduehi is a staff of the National Population Commission in Abuja.

The doctor who delivered the babies, Bunmi Ladipo, said they were delivered through caesarean section and there was no complication.

He revealed that the mother had some challenges before delivery but she was managed by the hospital.

Mrs. Oluwakemi was delivered of the babies when the pregnancy was eight months.

Mr. Ladipo also added that this was the first time he will be delivering a set of quintuplets.

Also, Audu Lamidi, Head Neo- Natal Intensive Care Unit, National Hospital, said that the babies are very tender and as such, more time is being devoted to their care.

According to him, many hospitals in Nigeria do not have the capacity or facility to cater for such multiple births.

He also called on government to provide the hospital with more specialised facilities and equipment to care and monitor multiple births.

“These babies are seen as blessings from God and we need more specialised facilities to enable us monitor them effectively in the first few months of their life. We need equipment such as incubators, ventilators and so on to support them. Though we have the basic tools for now, we need the specialised ones as these multiple births require more attention, time and care.’’

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary Common Services at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Yemi Adelakun, said that the house would be immediately given to the couple as directed by the Head of Service.

He added that the urgency was necessary to help them settle down and take care of their babies adequately.