By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
WHAT began as a story of overwhelming fear for a roadside tailor has been transformed into a powerful testament to community spirit, after a local police chief spearheaded a campaign that raised over ₦7 million (approx. £6,800) for his newborn quadruplets.
The journey started in a small tailoring shop behind the NUJ Press Centre in Warri. For Mr. Favour, a humble artisan, the birth of his four children—two boys and two girls—after more than a decade of praying for a family, should have been his life’s greatest blessing. Yet, the joy was swiftly eclipsed by the daunting reality of hospital bills, nappies, and formula.
So overwhelmed was the new father by the financial pressure that he reportedly contemplated fleeing the hospital, unable to face the responsibility.
Destiny, however, intervened in the form of a woman in uniform. CSP Zukumor, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Ugborikoko Division, known in the Uvwie area for her community-minded approach to policing, received a call about the tailor’s desperate situation.
“I got a call that a tailor had just welcomed four babies after more than ten years of waiting,” CSP Zukumor explained. “The caller told me the man was devastated and was about to leave the hospital because he didn’t know how to take care of the babies or pay the bills.”
That single phone call set in motion an astonishing chain of events. Without hesitation, the DPO rallied her officers. “The first thing that came to my mind was to reach out to my team. I told them, ‘Let’s do something,’” she recounted.
Her team immediately began contributing from their own pockets, bringing in baby items, food, and cash. Emboldened by their response, CSP Zukumor reached out to her wider network of contacts, initially wary of being misunderstood, but was met with an immediate and overwhelming wave of generosity.
Within hours, the Ugborikoko Police Station began filling with donations: baby clothes, wipes, nappies, and food supplies. A local trader, Mrs. A.B. Otuaro, contributed cartons of cooking oil, rice, tissue, and numerous packs of nappies.
As the story spread on social media, support poured in from across Nigeria. The DPO found herself fielding messages from people nationwide asking for bank details. Among the donors was an individual reportedly linked to the Dangote family, who offered a substantial sum anonymously.
“We started that morning with just empathy in our hearts, and by sunset, God had used Nigerians to bless this family beyond imagination,” a stunned CSP Zukumor said.
The total raised quickly surpassed ₦7 million in both cash and material gifts.
For the young father, Mr. Favour, the turnaround was miraculous. “When they told me my wife had delivered four babies, I almost collapsed,” he shared, his voice thick with emotion. “I expected twins, but when they said four, I didn’t know what to do… I was worried. I didn’t know where to start.”
He described the DPO as an angel. “She told me not to panic, that help was coming. And truly, she came through for me like an angel. God used her to wipe away my tears.”
The DPO later led a delegation to the hospital to present the donations, ensuring a transparent process. She revealed plans to open a dedicated bank account for the children’s future education and welfare and offered the couple advice on prudent management of the funds.
The DPO’s actions have been widely praised, with many hailing her as a “mother in uniform.” For CSP Zukumor, however, the glory belongs elsewhere. “All I did was make a call. The rest was God touching the hearts of Nigerians,” she said humbly. “Sometimes, people think Nigerians are not kind, but that’s not true. We are a nation of givers.”
For Mr. Favour, whose name means ‘favour’, the experience has proven profoundly literal. “My name is Favour, and today, I have truly found favour,” he said. “My children are now millionaires before they can even walk.”
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