Yahya Nafiu, a 56-year-old Nigerian, has appealed for help after his wife Latoyossi Alake unexpectedly gave birth to 11 children in Porto-Novo, Benin Republic.
The family is struggling to care for the surviving babies as a result of the unusual event, and they are in desperate need of financial support.
Nafiu, who is originally from Ilorin, Kwara State, disclosed that the babies were born at a traditional birth attendant’s home on July 7, 2024, and August 14, 2024, in two different batches.
Sadly, two of the babies have since died, leaving nine kids in critical condition.
The man, who relocated to Cotonou 19 years ago for business, explained that this is the third wife’s first set of multiple births.
Alake had previously given birth to two children with Nafiu.
Alhaji Zakariyau Nafiu, the Imam of Iponrin, who is his older brother, confirmed the unusual birth but expressed worry about the family’s capacity to care for the babies that survived.
“Nafiu was born and schooled in Ilorin before he left for Cotonou 19 years ago for business.
“Alake is his third wife and had two children for him before this incident; apart from the children from the other wives.
“But two babies are dead with nine left, and we don’t want further fatalities.”
“Yes, it is true that my wife gave birth to 11 children after a long period of pregnancy. They are eight boys and three girls.
“The babies were delivered in two separate months, July 7 and August 14, at a traditional birth attendant home in Porto-Novo,” Yahya told Punch in a telephone conversation on Wednesday, August 28.
“One other major challenge that we are now facing before we could bring the children home to Ilorin to show them to my parents is how to raise money for the marriage rites, as well as medical bill and police report,” he stated.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
