Even as the mysteries surrounding her pregnancy is still shrouded in secrecy, 31 year old Titilayo Bamidele, an imbecile whose sudden pregnancy made headlines recently has been delivered of a bouncing baby girl.
The family had earlier expressed the fear on her ability to deliver without hiccups in view of her condition. However, their anxiety was put to rest as she delivered on her own without any complication, February 1st this year.
According to her father, Mr. Ebenezer Bamidele, his daughter had attended early morning service at the Foundation Faith Church, where her parents also worships, and went into labour few hours after the Church service, stressing that even in her peculiar condition she was still conscious of God.
Excited that their daughter, though, a destitute, didn’t have to go through the pangs of prolonged labour, or any pregnancy related complication, Mr and Mrs Bamidele, said their hearts are full of joy and gratitude to God for his mercy.
The parents expressed their gratitude, in particular to members of the Foundation Faith Church for their love and compassion from the moment of the discovery of their daughters pregnancy up to delivery.
Meanwhile, as no one had come up to claim responsibility, the family says they have taken the whole thing in good faith, as they expressed the hope that sooner that later, God would unmask the true paternity of their grand daughter.
Titilayo, not only an imbecile, she is also deaf and dumb, and this has been the painful reality her aged parents have had to contend with since her birth 31 years ago.
Her movement has always been restricted to the family house located directly opposite, now moribund Jakura Marble Industry, Marine Road, Lokoja, and her mother, Rachael Bamidele, would never let her eyes off her helpless daughter. As she strayed into the waiting hand of a rapist which resulted in her pregnancy is the question on the lips of many till now.
It was however, a joyful moment recently during the naming of the child held at the Foundation Faith Church, Lokoja, as family and other well wishers joined in thanksgiving to God for seeing the lady through the travails of labour.
Titilayo, though, unable to express her feelings, her gestures and intermittent muttering of sounds, communicated her joy as she watches her beautiful daughter being named by the resident pastor of the Church, Rev. Timothy Anaro.
As expected, about ten different names were penned down for the child, the pastor, however, trimmed the names down to five, as she would now be called: Testimony, Miracle, Emmanuella, Jesutofunmi and Salem, stressing that the names were chosen in line with the strange circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
Rev. Anaro cautioned people against stigmatizing the child, emphasizing that she was innocent of the circumstances of her birth, and advised she is shown love and cherished instead.
- A report by Louis Yunusa for The Graphic Newspaper.
